


You and I, To Infinity

by 127ghouls



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alpha Lee Taeyong, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, Omega Verse, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:42:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 26,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26026648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/127ghouls/pseuds/127ghouls
Summary: “Are you tired?” His voice is nothing above a whisper as he pulls Jaehyun in a tight hug, slightly swaying them side to side. “It’s okay. You should lean on me; I like it when you lean on me.” Taeyong’s lips press against the side of Jaehyun’s head, a hand gently patting it. “We’ll always be together, right? During the night, and when the morning comes. We’ll be together. You, me, Areum.”A sequel toCome Morning, We're Together.Please read that first to understand this.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Lee Taeyong
Comments: 14
Kudos: 244
Collections: WorthAKingsRansom





	You and I, To Infinity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yunoyong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yunoyong/gifts).



> South Korea has a topnotch healthcare system but for the sake of this fic I made it cruel as hell aha

“ _Ahjumma,_ do you need me to drop by at the market tomorrow?” Taeyong asks the old lady behind the register while sweeping the floor of the restaurant. The place has closed fifteen minutes ago, and he has just finished washing the remaining dishes in the kitchen. “I guess they won’t be able to deliver on time. One of the trucks in-charge of the crabs here is unavailable.”

“I still can’t believe that we’re unlucky enough to be in that delivery.”

“Things happen, _ahjumma._ ” He gives the restaurant owner a small smile before pushing a stool aside so he can reach further under the table and sweep those grains of rice into the pan.

For the past year, the restaurant has been busier as the new menu garnered more customers coming from the neighboring villages. It would’ve been easier to handle the demands, except that Minjun found a new job that pays better, leaving Taeyong and Jaehyun to do all the work. _Ahjumma_ tried to hire new helpers, but out of the three she accepted, two of them were undedicated Alphas that gave up after barely four months, and a lazy, shameless Omega who tried to flirt with Taeyong – right in front of Jaehyun. As a dignified woman, _ahjumma_ immediately fired them and swore not to trust just anybody for the meantime. She knows for herself that it’s hard to look for people who will take their job seriously.

Because of that, her work doubled – preparing _Yangnyeom Gejang_ and _Ganjang Gejang_ as well as the other dishes with the help of her husband at times, and working behind the register when Jaehyun finishes his shift. Having only Taeyong as a full-time employee often takes a toll on them, but the Alpha never once complained about it.

Especially after he was laid-off from his side job as an errand boy in that commercial building, all of Minjun’s responsibilities fell on his shoulders. Taeyong is still thankful despite that slight misfortune because _ahjumma_ raised his salary. They badly need it. Bills are piling up and Areum’s necessities can’t be neglected.

Jaehyun suggested working full-time as well, but _ahjumma_ and Taeyong thought it would be better to only work half-day so he can focus on taking care of Areum at home. It’s not good for children as young as her to be in a stressful workplace for a long time. He was a little upset about it, having felt useless and trapped in his expected role as an Omega only meant to take care of the household chores, but Taeyong assured him that it was not the case. They have a very young daughter that needs utmost care and Jaehyun wouldn’t be able to focus on her if he was to do as much as Taeyong does in the restaurant.

_“But you can’t be the only one working hard!” Jaehyun complains, patting Areum’s back to let her burp. “Don’t go all Alpha on me and tell me to sit down at home, Taeyong.”_

_The Alpha sighs before pulling his boyfriend and daughter in a loose hug. Sometimes, Jaehyun gets irritated a tad too quickly. It’s fine – being a new parent is not easy. “It’s not that. But Areum can’t be at the restaurant for the whole day. We can’t make ahjumma look after her. After all, she’s still too small and you need to tend to her needs. She came from you, Jaehyun. She needs you more than anyone. You understand that, right?”_

_Jaehyun stares at his mate, his loving mate who is so selfless and perfect, and asks for a kiss because he can’t stop being sad without being pampered with Taeyong’s kisses every time. “Okay. I just hate that I can’t help you much.”_

_“What do you mean?” Taeyong raises a brow at him before taking Areum and lightly bouncing her in his arm as she sucks on her pudgy thumb. “You work. You take care of our baby. Most of the time I’m too tired to wake up and check on her and you do it for me. Without complaints. You’re helping, Jaehyun.” His voice softens at the end, and Taeyong thumbs the Omega’s cheek fondly. “Give yourself more credit. You’re a wonderful father. And partner. We’ll get by,” he says, with all the hope for a better future for their little family. “I promise.”_

_Ahjumma_ looks at the clock then back at Taeyong who has been zoning out for five minutes, before lightly shoving the back of his head forward. The woman bites back a thunderous laugh at the amusing expression of disbelief on the Alpha’s face. “You’ve been working yourself through the mud, Taeyong. Don’t worry about heading to the market tomorrow. I’ll wake up early and pick up our orders myself.”

“But _ahjumma_ –”

“No!” She vehemently shakes her head. “No excuses. I may be old but I’m not weak. My joints aren’t rusty. Besides, I don’t have the heart to steal away what little time you have left to spend with your family. You think leaving an hour early than you’re supposed to is fine? That’s an hour taken away from Jaehyun and Areum. There’s so much you can do in an hour.” Squinting at Taeyong, she huffs with a mischievous smile. “You should know that, you mongrel.”

Taeyong’s face heats up as soon as what she means dawns on him. Seriously, _ahjumma_ has a penchant for teasing him about his intimacy with Jaehyun. He momentarily hides his mortified face with a hand while putting the dustpan away. “Mongrel is not even accurate, _ahjumma_. Think of a better insult.”

“Tch. Arrogant alphas and feeling proud about being insulted go hand in hand. Go back to your family, quick! If I see your face for the next two minutes, I’ll be the one to drag you out of this place.”

The Alpha frantically rushes to the back room. _Ahjumma_ may be old but her superb arm strength in carrying boxes of deliveries can possibly toss a man of Taeyong’s size into the abyss. Taeyong hangs his apron, but not before catching a whiff of it. Ha, he really needs to soak it in detergent soon.

The old lady is back on jotting down the ledger when Taeyong comes out carrying his marinated crab take-away. “I’ll be going now. Please be careful with the coiling doors…”

 _Ahjumma_ harrumphs without looking up and Taeyong finally leaves after bidding his motherly boss a good night.

They still live in that small apartment above the bakery, so Taeyong takes the same old route home. His steps are bigger than normal, excited to see his family again after a long day’s work. Call him whipped but that’s what he truly is – there’s not a second that passes by without Taeyong thinking of Jaehyun and Areum. Giving them a better life like they deserve pushes him to strive each day.

It’s already past 10. The restaurant closes later now to accommodate the influx of customers. So, to hear Areum’s whimpers at such time when she’s supposed to be sleeping worries Taeyong a little bit.

His boyfriend and their little angel are in the living room when he comes in. The TV is on but it’s obvious that nobody’s watching as Jaehyun busies himself with telling Areum not to simply squash her food and eat them.

“Hey,” Taeyong toes off his shoes and sits down next to the Omega on the couch to press a quick kiss on his cheek. “Why is she still up?” He puts the paper bag on the low table and gently kisses the top of Areum’s head. “Being a brat to dada?”

Jaehyun clicks his tongue in disapproval when Areum whines again in her pink walker, running her mashed potato covered hands on her head. “As usual. She’s been acting up for a week.” He takes the girl’s hands and wipes them clean with a towel. “I thought she hates cow milk, that’s why she won’t drink as much as she needs but she’s not eating a lot, too.” The Omega takes the small bowl away from Areum when she attempts to shove her hands in again. “What do one-year old babies want to eat anyway? Look, I think she’s losing weight…”

Stress radiates off of Jaehyun as he mindlessly mixes the mashed potatoes while worriedly watching Areum occasionally stick out her tongue as if trying to catch her breath. Taeyong smells stained tangerine in the air. “Should we bring her to the doctor tomorrow?”

They’ve missed three months-worth of well-baby checkups due to a number of reasons: Taeyong losing his side job, Areum’s expensive diapers and food and vitamins, and the nearest affordable clinic in _Samjeong-ri_ closed because the doctor transferred somewhere else.

Taeyong watches his daughter as she blabbers indistinctly, the only words recognizable being _dada_ and _papa._ “Let’s look for an affordable hospital first and make an appointment. Even if we go there tomorrow, they won’t entertain us right away.” He pulls Areum close by the walker and pokes her cheek, earning a gummy grin, followed by two coughs. “You’re not sick, are you, baby?”

Areum’s chubby fingers curl around Taeyong’s index before the one-year old bites down on it as hard as she can, successfully pulling out a wince from her poor papa.

“You only have three teeth but you’re teething like you wanna chop off my finger,” Taeyong huffs out a laughter through his nose before taking the towel from Jaehyun to clean Areum’s hair. “Did she finish her milk?”

Jaehyun’s head has fallen on Taeyong’s shoulder to watch them in silence, and to better inhale the scent of Peppermint that never fails to give him peace of mind in times he’s racked with exhaustion. “Only half a bottle. Let’s look for a clinic tomorrow? After our family date? She’s probably just being picky.”

“This baby will feel better after going out with dada and papa, right?” Taeyong picks her up from her walker and sits her on their lap, one hand taking Jaehyun’s to press a kiss on the back of it. “Have you eaten yet?”

“I was waiting for you. We got fried chicken!” Carefully, Jaehyun extricates himself from under Areum’s legs to prepare two bowls of rice, as well as the plate of chicken and brings them at once to the living room. Excitement fills him as soon as he spots the paper bag of marinated crab. “Did _ahjumma_ save this for you?”

“Paid for it.” As though suddenly feeling the hunger triggered by hours of labor since his last meal at lunch, Taeyong’s stomach rumbles loudly. The sound makes Areum squirm and giggle, patting his face with her sticky hands while he maneuvers her on the floor with them.

The parents try to feed their little one tiny chunks of chicken meat while they have their dinner. Areum swallows some of them, spitting out what she doesn’t want to eat. While Jaehyun divides his attention between himself and Areum, Taeyong divides his between himself and cracking open crabs for Jaehyun. He makes sure to dump all the meat on the Omega’s rice and mixes them properly so Jaehyun won’t have to anymore.

They may not have all the resources they need within reach as a family, and it gets hard at times, but it’s the little things evoked by love that reminds them life is still beautiful despite its endless challenges.

Back when Taeyong had no one else (aside from _ahjumma_ ), Saturdays and Sundays were just like any other day of the week. Wake up, skip meals, work ‘til late, sleep and repeat the cycle. Now that he has a mate and a child, Sunday is for family bonding either at home or going around _Guryongpo-ri. Ahjumma_ has no qualms with only running the restaurant ‘til noon since she has no helpers aside from her husband, as long as her favorite employees enjoy themselves for a while.

Today’s itinerary consists heading to the _Guryongpo_ Park, a place that overflows with stories from the Japanese colonialism. Even though Jaehyun is a native of _Pohang,_ it’ll be his first time to go to the historical park.

Taeyong wakes up early to take a shower, gets dressed in a pair of oversized shirt and jeans before making breakfast for Jaehyun and Areum. They rise just in time as the fried rice and eggs finish being cooked, as well as Areum’s baby food. Today, the little girl manages to eat more than what she consumes for the past week. She’s taking her time with picking up soft fruit chunks so Jaehyun volunteers washing the dishes, and when Areum finally tosses the banana slice at Taeyong’s face, the Omega takes their daughter away for a nice bath together.

She’s always a little feisty when diaper time comes. While Jaehyun chooses a simple outfit, Taeyong is tasked to put a diaper on Areum. The Alpha holds her feet up as he slides the diaper under her and just as he starts thinking Areum’s going to be nice, one of her legs shoot out and kicks Taeyong square on the mouth.

“Ahuh, and you find it funny, kicking papa on the face?”

Her sweet giggles fill their bedroom. Jaehyun watches them through the mirror as he puts on a shirt, heart swelling with adoration for his mate and baby. There really is nothing else that can make him the happiest aside from seeing a happy Areum in the hands of the man that treasures them unconditionally.

Taeyong holds her legs down and latches the sides of the diaper before slipping the floral dress on her, and proceeds to clip her hair next. “Even if Areum hurts papa, papa will still love her.” He picks her up and approaches Jaehyun before smooching the Omega’s cheek. “Who loves princess Areum the most?”

“Pa–papa!”

Jaehyun turns around and gathers her pudgy hands, peppering them with kisses. “And who’s more handsome than papa Taeyong?”

The little girl has no idea what her Omega father is asking but she still reaches for him, chanting ‘dada’ repeatedly, causing Jaehyun to laugh at Taeyong’s face. “Kids do not lie.”

“She has no idea what she’s talking about.”

“So, you don’t agree that I’m more handsome than you?”

Something flickers across Taeyong’s eyes for a second, before the Alpha grabs Areum’s baby bag. “You’re both handsome and pretty. Even prettier when you’re under me.”

The Omega splutters, face burning as Taeyong walks away unfazed by his own shamelessness. “N-not around our baby, you…!” Jaehyun burns even more listening to Taeyong’s deep laughter, knowing that his boyfriend enjoys making him weak in the knees even with the slightest provocation.

“Do you wanna see the _hanok_ structure?” He asks, turning to his mate. Taeyong sifts his fingers through Jaehyun’s adorable coconut-haircut (which resembles a bowl cut but cuter and he prefers calling it coconut, because it arouses a cute pout from the Omega) as his gaze lands on the bond mark on Jaehyun’s neck. The Alpha in him croons in satisfaction for the trace never faded. Honestly, it is probably the prettiest scar one could ever have. “I can read a bit of Japanese. Maybe I’ll tell you whatever’s left written on the stairs.”

“Just maybe?” Jaehyun buries his face on top of Areum’s head, nose brushing her butterfly hair clips which only caught a few strands anyway. “But they’re old characters, right?”

“I think so. Do you want to?”

“Okay.”

Indeed, there are characters carved on the pillars flanking the stairs but the Alpha’s rusty Japanese can’t understand them anymore. Taeyong scratches his cheek in embarrassment as Jaehyun playfully teases him for being a show-off, and they start their way to the former _Yongwangdang_ Shinto shrine.

Areum sits snug in the carrier worn by Jaehyun, a little sleepy. Her coughs lessened so Jaehyun supposes she’s about to feel better.

In the middle of climbing up, Taeyong overhears someone behind them blatantly objectify Jaehyun. His neck almost snaps from how quick he whips around, his penetrating gaze paralyzing the small group of male Alphas. “What did you say?”

Jaehyun stops two steps higher and watches wide-eyed as Taeyong begins descending, fists clenched. “Taeyong…”

The Alpha stops before the deplorable group, staring down the man that openly disrespected his mate. “Say it one more time. I didn’t hear it clearly.”

Despite sharing the same standing, the group feels wary of the enraged pheromones Taeyong releases. His Peppermint scent automatically turns unpleasant to the smell whenever an ugly, intense emotion fills him and clouds his head.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were with him.”

A warning growl rumbles out of Taeyong’s throat. “My daughter is watching, so I won’t lay a hand on you. But allow me to let you in on a secret,” he says, tone so much like the hiss of a snake, “I once got jailed for beating someone back in College. And you will never see my name in the records. Try me and you won’t get justice even if you cry for it.”

Taeyong roughly taps the guy’s shoulder and returns to the Omega’s side, one hand on the small of Jaehyun’s back as he guides them up the stairs. “Did that scare you?” He asks even though he already knows the answer. Taeyong may be gentler than any Alpha in existence but he’s a totally different person when taunted.

Any other Alpha whose mate is disrespected around them won’t settle for just a verbal warning. But Areum is there, and even though she won’t remember it, Taeyong is fine with granting a little mercy. Since their daughter came, he’s been trying to get rid of his nasty habits – drinking, smoking. He and Jaehyun have to set a good example for when she grows up.

Jaehyun’s lower lip juts out. One glance over his shoulder shows that the group behind them has no plans continuing up. “I don’t want you to get in trouble. Even when you saved me that night, I was scared for you. Do you have a thing for getting into fights outnumbered?”

“I used to.”

“…Wait, you actually did?”

“When I was younger. Who doesn’t get into fights?”

The Omega’s lips press firmly for a moment, only speaking when they reach the top and are greeted by the _hanok_ styled structure. It is definitely more Korean than Japanese after replacing the _Shinto_. “Guess you can’t really help it as an Alpha.”

There are more tourists today. A group of them flock by the _hanok_ taking pictures. Some in twos or threes sit around chatting or eating snacks from a store on wheels.

“I don’t purposely cause mayhem. But you can’t expect me to just watch when people disrespect you. I dare say you’d throw the first punch if our little angel wasn’t here.”

Jaehyun huffs and raises his head proudly. “Of course. Ah, I know now. If you do get into a fight, just call my name and I’ll save you. What, why are you smiling? I’m strong even though I’m an Omega.”

“I don’t doubt that you can body slam them, Jaehyun. Thinking about that now though, it sort of makes me want to anticipate it.”

The couple decides not to join the growing crowd of people by the _hanok_ and just walk around for a while, admiring the historical park. Later on, seeing that the stairs are free of tourists, Taeyong tugs Jaehyun back to it to take a picture, ensuring that the nice background is perfectly captured.

As Jaehyun talks to Areum, Taeyong momentarily leaves their side to buy a cotton candy from a vendor at the side. He chooses the pink cotton just so it matches Areum’s dress and jogs back to his family to share the snack with Jaehyun. They aren’t sure if the baby is allowed to eat such so Jaehyun offers Areum some milk, which the little girl pushes away.

“You’re the only baby that doesn’t want to drink milk when she’s given milk,” Jaehyun returns the bottle in the baby bag. “What do you want? Cow milk is good too…”

Gesturing for Jaehyun to take a seat with him on the top step, Taeyong plucks a tiny ball of cotton candy and feeds it to his boyfriend. “Maybe she prefers breastmilk.”

“How do I even–” Jaehyun pinches an unapologetic Taeyong’s side. “You will never see me breastfeeding Areum because I have no milk in my chest, okay? You and your sick fantasies… Seal your mouth, seal your mouth.”

Huh. What is Jaehyun going to do with his occasionally perverted mate, really.

They head further down the street and enters the Modern History Museum which is the size of a regular house. It was formerly a Japanese home called the _Hashimoto_ house, thankfully reconstructed and redecorated. After looking at the black and white photos of old _Guryongpo_ as well as reading the texts under each picture about the events the town went through under the Japanese rule, Taeyong spares Jaehyun from boredom and suggests going to the shopping center nearby.

“Should we get a new TV?”

Jaehyun raises a brow, one hand rubbing Areum’s back. She feels a little hot to the touch. “Why? Our TV is fine.”

“So you can watch better.”

“We don’t need it. Let’s just save up.”

“Are you sure?” Taeyong looks at his boyfriend, gauging his reaction. It’s true that they need the money for more important things but he feels bad for not trying to improve their apartment a little bit. They still use the same bed because they feel guilty about spending on something that doesn’t need spending. “Maybe I can pick up another job to get the money back quickly.”

“And what are you going to do?”

“No idea. _Guryongpo-ri_ has nothing to offer me at the moment.” Alright, so maybe he should keep the money just in case of an emergency. Sometimes he forgets that he’s not rich anymore and cannot run to his parents if he goes broke.

Jaehyun points somewhere, wishing to check out what it is. When they stop behind a row of mothers, they realize that a contest is about to happen – whoever eats the most lemon while keeping a poker face wins a microwave oven. The Omega gasps and tugs on Taeyong’s sleeve. “For the record, I can’t handle sour foods. So…”

Even if his boyfriend doesn’t say it, Taeyong already understands. He makes a decision for two seconds before walking to the front, asking the host (who is a sales clerk in the department store) if he can still join the contest.

Soon, Jaehyun is squeezing through a huddle of wives and some men so he can have a better view of Taeyong winning the grand prize.

This is undeniably embarrassing, especially when more people gather. Taeyong ignores the few pairs of eyes on him by keeping his gaze on Jaehyun and Areum, head full of winning that stupid microwave oven because he wants to make things a little easier for them at home.

_Plus, if I can’t buy it, might as well just win it._

“3, 2, 1…. start!”

Taeyong picks up the plate of stripped sliced lemons and shoves four in his mouth at once, face blank as a paper. The sight of Jaehyun cheering so cutely before him makes him want to break into a smile, though. Curse his Omega for being the possible cause of his lemon downfall.

Each contestant has to eat ten sliced lemons. At the moment, two are already eliminated and three remain to claim the title of Lemon Master. Taeyong wishes they came up with a better title.

The Alpha spits out all the seeds and proceeds to eat four more, heart thundering in his chest as another contestant is eliminated, leaving two men standing. Taeyong glances at his opponent, clearly an Alpha, and feels even more competitive.

Jaehyun can’t hold back his grin. It’s too funny not to watch. He continues cheering for his boyfriend, not noticing the way Areum pants harder against his chest, her coughs worse and fingertips turning a little blue. “Two lemons left!” He bounces once, and startles when Areum’s little fist pounds his shoulder. “Baby…?”

The host eggs them on, encouraging the crowd to keep cheering for their pick. Taeyong forces the last two lemons in his mouth and is ready to take that damn microwave home when Jaehyun cries out in alarm as Areum violently throws up, her little body shaking.

Taeyong blanches.

They take a cab to the nearest hospital. It’s private and expensive but they don’t have much choice at the moment. Areum is already burning up when they arrive, immediately taken to a free bed in the emergency wing and a nurse politely tells them to stand by while they check up on the toddler.

Jaehyun can’t stop crying in the waiting area, blaming himself for not taking notice right away. She felt hot. She shouldn’t be when the weather isn’t even sunny.

“What’s going on with her? Her fingers are bluish, Taeyong. What does that mean?” The Omega cries on Taeyong’s shoulder, trembling arms clinging on his mate. “Will Areum be okay?”

Taeyong badly wants to assure Jaehyun but he knows it’s futile to make a promise he’s not sure himself. He has no idea what’s happening to their daughter, and if anyone is to blame, it’s him. He should’ve looked for another clinic when the one they frequented for checkups closed. Maybe they could’ve prevented whatever sickness Areum caught.

He tries to release calming pheromones, but Jaehyun continuously emits waves of anxiety so strong that it overpowers his. Not even his scent can help the Omega in his current state.

A nurse informs them later that Areum is transferred to the ward. They agree for her to be tested, so they are only given a moment to be with their daughter before she is whisked away again.

Following what seems like forever of fretful waiting, a doctor carrying an envelope and a clipboard approaches them and leads the couple to his office.

“Please take a seat. You’re the parents of the little girl that last came in, right?”

“Yes, what’s happening to her?”

The doctor eyes Taeyong before putting down his stethoscope on the desk filled with file folders and whatnot. “We’re running tests but based on the physical symptoms, she might have a respiratory infection. May I ask when she started coughing phlegm?”

Jaehyun fidgets in his seat, trembling. “Three or four days ago…”

“Does it sound like a painful cough to you?”

The Omega shakes his head. “I don’t know how to tell if it’s painful or not, but she looks uncomfortable. And when she does cough, she pants a little. She’s been panting when she eats, too. And she’s been eating so little for a week now.”

The doctor picks up the clipboard and starts ticking off boxes. “I assume that she’s lost some weight then. Has she been vomiting for days?”

“No, only today. Her fever too.”

Taeyong appears to be calm and collected but deep inside, he’s restless. He only manages not to panic for Jaehyun’s sake, who needs him as an anchor right now. “Does she…does she have Pneumonia?”

Both Jaehyun and the doctor look up at him.

“The result of her blood test will likely be out in an hour, but we’re suspecting Pneumonia.” The doctor picks up the envelope and takes out an X-ray film of Areum’s chest to explain the abnormalities in her lungs. “Children under 5 are more at risk to suffer from Pneumonia and it’s most likely that your daughter caught the bacteria from a carrier.”

Jaehyun gets even more devastated. Babies are prone to plenty of diseases and it’s possible that she caught it from a customer as the Omega interacts with a lot of them. He’s in the middle of inwardly blaming himself for being a careless parent when the doctor clears his throat and eyes them sternly.

“Respiratory tract infections may easily develop because of pre-existing health condition. You mentioned earlier that she’s panting and eats poorly. Upon close examination, her fingertips are a little blue. I also listened to her heartbeat and it’s quite abnormal. There is a distinct murmur as well.”

The Alpha rubs a hand down his face as Jaehyun starts sniffling. “What does that mean?”

“We can’t diagnose without the proper tests. For your daughter, we might conduct an Echocardiogram among other tests to confirm whether or not she has problems with her heart.”

The sound of his own heart breaking deafens Taeyong. He thinks about his daughter’s small body and how it must have been suffering for a while right under their noses. His hand covers Jaehyun’s own, giving it a squeeze as the Omega lets our renewed tears. “When can we see the results?”

“In a few days. We want to be as detailed as possible so you don’t need to keep coming back should you have another concern. Since she has breathing problems, it’ll be better if she stays in the hospital until the infection is treated, more so that her heart is suspected to play a part in it.” The doctor says with a sigh. “I know this is hard to take in, but the child will be taken care of more properly here.”

Jaehyun nods and messily wipes his red rimmed eyes with the back of his free hand. “When will you do the other tests?”

“As soon as possible.”

“…Will we get the bill after they’re done?

Taeyong internally winces. Echocardiogram doesn’t sound like a cheap test.

“Please discuss with the accounting department for a package. The hospital requires down payment for expensive tests. Here,” The doctor jots a few notes on a paper and hands it to Taeyong. “Give it to them and they’ll know what to suggest. The sooner it is paid, the sooner we can conduct the tests.”

The words fly over Taeyong’s head even after reading them twice. They ask if it’s okay to see Areum now, and thanks the doctor before leaving the office to head to the accounting department right away.

When they get the final sum of the bills that they have to pay upfront, Taeyong’s pocket cries. Although his savings can certainly cover the cost, he worries about the other fees they will need to pay. He tells Jaehyun to stay in the ward first before heading out to look for a nearby ATM.

Areum is back in her bed in the children’s ward when Jaehyun returns. He quickly pulls a seat and holds her hand, watery eyes brimming once again as he watches her sleep. “Princess, you need to stay here for a while. Don’t worry, papa and dada will stay with you until sleep time.” Jaehyun’s heart twists in absolute pain at the sight of a tube attached to her, clueless as to what it is for. Probably medicine, probably all the technical things he cannot understand because he didn’t receive proper education.

He keeps talking to Areum, ignoring all the other patients around them. Jaehyun supposes that when the test results come out, his baby will be transferred to the Pediatric ICU. She’s currently stable, being treated for a respiratory infection, but the future holds no guarantee once her heart joins the equation.

No matter how much he wants things to speed up and for her to get better in a snap, Jaehyun can only wish for her safety at the moment. He’s powerless, he’s poor. Never before had he hated his social standing as much as he does now. Everything will be easier with money, but it’s the one thing they don’t have.

_Please get well soon, baby. Please get my baby out of here soon…_

The tests are paid that same day, leaving Taeyong’s savings dry and empty. Areum is groggy from the medicines and the discomfort of being in a foreign place spurs a little tantrum episode. Jaehyun does his best to calm her down, taking out a bottle of milk from the baby bag but she continues sobbing. The other parents in the ward have been looking at them trying to see what’s keeping the little girl irritated, so Taeyong promptly apologizes for the noise.

Areum only stops crying half an hour later. The stress and tears exhaust the poor baby so much that she falls asleep with wet tracks on her face. She remains asleep until it’s time for her parents to go home, and Jaehyun kisses her tiny hands with a whisper of coming back for her tomorrow. Leaving her in the ward might be the hardest thing Jaehyun has ever done in his entire life. To see his baby alone in the hospital bed, knowing that when he comes back to the apartment, she won’t be in her crib.

The first night is tormenting. He gathers some of her clothes and cuddle with them as Taeyong does his best to comfort his mate. What several hours of sleep are then spent without getting a wink of it, both parents worried and scared to the core to even relax their minds. They both want the time to move faster so they can return to Areum’s side.

It only occurs to them that they need to inform _ahjumma_ about missing a few hours of work to visit their baby when the new sun rises. The previous morning filled with giggles is replaced by uncharacteristically low spirits.

It’s depressing to watch Jaehyun move around lifelessly. His Omega who was always smiling and eager to start the day tending to his family is taking too much time in the shower, desperate to rinse off the sadness. Taeyong fails to lessen it.

When they arrive at the restaurant, _ahjumma_ has just opened the coiling doors. She greets them sunnily as usual but their lack of enthusiasm piques the old woman’s curiosity. _Ahjumma_ beckons the couple to sit down as her instinct tells her that a pressing matter is causing the melancholy on the mates’ features.

“Why the long faces?” She asks after taking a seat across the couple. “And did you leave Areum at home? Alone?” The woman is about to lecture them about child neglect when Taeyong politely interrupts her and explains their current situation.

Horror is as clear as the day on her face when Taeyong finishes talking.

“Oh lord,” Is all that leaves her despite the swarm of questions in her head. She’s utterly distraught. _Ahjumma_ never had a child of her own but the ache that blooms in her is so intense, that she looks at Jaehyun with unconcealed sympathy. How painful is it to the parent himself?

Jaehyun sniffles. “We can’t stay there overnight since she’s only in a ward. Sorry for only informing you now, _ahjumma._ We were both pretty much in shock yesterday.”

“Goodness… When did they say they’ll have the results?”

“In three days. We’re really hoping that her heart is okay, but that only means she’s suffering from something else that could be just as bad. Honestly, _ahjumma,_ I don’t know what to do.” There may be no tears running down his face but Jaehyun sounds tremendously broken. “I couldn’t sleep because I kept thinking about her.”

Taeyong intertwines their fingers under the table. “We’ll be at the hospital during the visiting hours. I think we’re allowed to be there from 11-1, and 4-8. _Ahjumma,_ we’ll still go to work and come back after visiting Areum. You can deduct our pay–”

 _Ahjumma_ huffs with a glare at the Alpha. “Nonsense. Deduct your pay when you need it the most? How about you let the owner of this restaurant decide? You two…” Hands clasped on the table, she shakes her head in disagreement. “I’m not taking nos. You will get paid for full-time work in those three days. Even you, Jaehyun. Don’t worry about who helps me out when you’re not around. I can ask some of our neighbors to lend a hand.” The woman closes her mouth when she catches glimpse of a teardrop just as Jaehyun lowers his head. “Why are you crying?”

“ _Ahjumma,_ you’re too nice to us…”

Taeyong pulls out a hankie from his pocket and makes Jaehyun look at him to dab on the poor Omega’s face gently. Sadness doesn’t suit him.

A heavy sigh resonates loud in the quiet restaurant. “Because I care for your family. Taeyong is like a son to me, so when you came into the picture, that only means you deserve to be treated the same. You made me look after Areum once! Jesus Christ–I’ve become a grandmother! And you can’t believe I’m being a decent human towards you? How badly did you lack the kindness you deserve when you were young for you to cry like this?” The old lady reaches out to pat Jaehyun’s head once. “Just think about your daughter right now. Swallow your shame for a while and let me help however I can.”

“Thank you so much, _ahjumma._ ” Taeyong says. “Since the beginning, you’ve been doing everything to help me. Even now that I have my own child.”

“Tch. My love for you Taeyong doesn’t stop just because you found more people to love you. It only extends to Jaehyun and Areum. Both of you are really good parents. Areum will get well soon… Don’t be too sad or she will feel it when you visit her.”

“Hi!”

The solemn atmosphere is broken by Minjun barging in unannounced, stopping before their table to owlishly weigh the tension. “What’s with the glum?” He scans the rather dim place. “Is the restaurant open today?”

 _Ahjumma_ crosses her arms. “You know the opening hours, brat. What do you want?”

“ _Aigoo,_ don’t be so stingy in the morning. I dropped by ‘cause I wanted to reserve some orders. I’m having friends over later. Seriously…” Minjun finally sits down next to his former boss. “Why do these lovebirds look so heartbroken? Taeyong, fierce and tough and a little arrogant are your assets. Did I miss anything when I left?”

Jaehyun purses his lips. “Areum is sick. She’s in the hospital.”

“Oh. How sick?”

“Does that matter?”

“I think so. It’s that bad, huh?”

“What do you do in the new job again?”

The Beta raises a brow at Taeyong. “Delivering mails and parcels. Why?”

“Please help _ahjumma_ for the meantime. Jaehyun and I will be at the hospital so she needs servers.”

“Uh, okay?”

The three looks at Minjun in surprise, causing the Beta to give them the stink eye. “What. I can do that. Starting today? Although I’m having friends over–”

“Better. It means you don’t have work. Please reschedule your hangout some other time.”

Minjun scans the whole table before slumping forward, laughing. “Lee Taeyong, you’re seriously telling me what to do? Is it because I’m just a Beta?” He then sits properly again while wagging a finger at the Alpha, nodding. “Alright, fine. Because I like you even though you snarl at me 90% of the time. I’m doing this for _ahjumma_ and Areum.” His mischievous gaze lands on Jaehyun. “And for my penguin frenemy. Does it amaze you seeing me so nice?”

The Omega smiles a bit. “Thank you.”

It terrifies Minjun. “Hey, don’t be like that. You’re supposed to scoff at me. When Areum gets discharged, you have to let me see her.”

Their attention diverts to the Alpha getting out of his seat. “Let’s get ready for the day. Minjun, shifts are 11-1 and 4-8. Maybe you can just tell your friends to eat here.”

“Okay, got it. That’s a drastic change of plans for me.” Minjun mumbles as he starts texting.

“Shouldn’t you leave before 11?” _Ahjumma_ asks the couple. “Where is the hospital anyway?”

“The private one in _Ocheon_ - _eup_. We’ll take a cab to get there…”

“Alright,” the old woman says before getting up to officially start the day. “Go get moving. Minjun, your apron is still in the back room, but I haven’t washed it since you left.”

“That’s fine, _ahjumma._ Thanks for keeping it!”

The set-up continues over the next three days. Jaehyun and Taeyong work at the restaurant before going to the hospital, their places then filled in by Minjun and a kind neighbor. _Ahjumma_ prepares tastier baby food for Areum that aren’t in the boring hospital menu.

She’s responding well to the RTI treatment. The doctor says her Pneumonia will be easily treated as long as she’s monitored. Jaehyun and Taeyong are also told that their presence helps eliminate their daughter’s stress.

On the third day, Areum is made to wear an oxygen mask. Jaehyun initially panics when the doctor says that her heart has been beating erratically in the morning and she was a little breathless.

“Her Echocardiogram will be out tomorrow. By then we will be certain as to what we can do with her condition.”

The parents have no choice but to wait and hope hard enough that whatever’s hurting their baby will be easy to deal with.

Finally, on the fourth day of Areum being confined in the hospital, they are once again called to the doctor’s office and the news they hear cloaks both parents with absolute devastation and fear for their daughter’s health.

Areum has a congenital heart disease, one of the cases which symptoms are undetected during pregnancy. Her symptoms only manifested when her condition starts getting worse, a possible reason as to why their previous well-infant checkups failed to find flaws in her development.

“Researchers aren’t exactly sure why the heart fails to develop correctly but there are a number of suspected causes. Like diabetes, being infected by a virus during the first trimester of pregnancy, alcohol and illegal drug consumption, and taking prescriptions drugs. These can put the child at a higher risk for a heart defect.”

Jaehyun vehemently shakes his head. “I’ve never taken anything. I never got sick too…” His thoughts are a plethora of fretting questions. Is it him? Was his body too weak to support Areum? Did he accidentally ingest something he shouldn’t?

Or is it his mere bad luck?

Metal hooks pierce through Jaehyun’s heart to tug painfully. Stressed pheromones fill the room, mixing with the desperate calming from Taeyong.

The doctor takes a moment before speaking again. “Congenital heart defect may also run in families. Genetics. Either parent may be a carrier. Does your family have a history of suffering from CHD?”

The Omega hangs his head low, slapped with the reminder that he is an orphan, and the confirmation that there is no way to know whether a relative has the same sickness as his daughter’s.

“What about you? Any relatives that has a heart defect?”

Taeyong opens his mouth to say no, but realizes that none of his answers matter for he’s not Areum’s biological father.

Right then, reality whispers to him.

_You are not Areum’s father. She’s not your daughter. She’ll never be yours. She has none of you, not even a portion, not even a cell, nothing._

“I’m…” The Alpha’s tone falters right off the bat as the doctor patiently waits. “She’s not mine. She’s–”

“It’s okay,” the doctor cuts off, catching on the situation. Affairs like this occur frequently. “Right now, what’s important is treating her. A huge percentage of babies born with heart defects grow old. There are also many cases that the heart only acts up during adulthood. But we can say that her case is urgent, and we shouldn’t be complacent just because she’s stable right now.”

Taeyong breathes deeply to hopefully bury the black bitterness in his chest. “What do you need to do?”

“An open-heart surgery. It only sounds scary but it’s far from that. The modern technology proves to make this kind of operation more successful than not. And it is painless, of course. Areum can go through it. This is the best option for her.”

“…We need to pay at least half of it before the surgery commences, don’t we?”

The doctor gives them a firm nod. “I want to help, but this is a private hospital. The rules are stricter. We can refer you to a public hospital which is more affordable.”

“No need to,” Taeyong says, catching Jaehyun’s attention. “We won’t be able to take her out of here anyway because we are yet to fully pay the pre-existing fees. Might as well do everything here.”

He feels utterly pathetic – as an Alpha, as a father, as a mate. Taeyong’s situation is so pitiful but he can’t bring himself to laugh. What is he going to do now? If only it was possible to divide his body into several, functional pieces and have them all look for full-time jobs, he would’ve done it already. Even with Jaehyun’s help, it’ll take them time to save up for the operation. They can’t burden _ahjumma_ for such a huge sum of money, and none in _Guryongpo-ri_ are well-off enough to help them cover the cost as quick as possible.

Areum’s heart won’t be able to wait for them for that long.

The meeting with the doctor ends with the decision to put Areum in the ICU. They will struggle to find the money, they might even consider doing the unspeakable, but they can’t afford to let her get a subpar care when she’s already in a private hospital. She may not be biologically his, but Taeyong swore to give her nothing but the best even if it cripples him in the process.

The couple sits at the waiting area before the Pediatric ICU room after discussing another package at the accounting department. From where they are, they can perfectly see Areum sleeping in her cozy little bed tended by a young nurse that adjusts the small, rotating soft toys hovering over her.

Some parents sit around them, watching their children behind the transparent window. When visiting hours are over, they leave the room and are told to wait for the next visiting period.

“Where are we getting the money?” Jaehyun despondently asks as he looks at the number of zeros printed on the receipt he’s holding. “It hurts my head just looking at it.”

Taeyong takes a deep breath and slowly exhales. Breathing becomes agonizing since the talk with the doctor. The throb only worsens after they are given the new receipt for the surgery. Not to mention the sorrow brought by being reminded that they’re not blood-related. “I’m thinking,” he says, voice passive. “They won’t accept me for corporate jobs even with a business degree. Tried it a few times before realizing I am probably blacklisted. Maybe we should talk to the accounting department again…? Ask them to escalate it to the admins.”

“They said they have rules…”

“What, they can’t bend it a little for the poor?”

Silence stretches between them for several minutes, with both trying to come up with a quick solution to fill the void spaces in their wallets.

The Omega rubs under his nose, eyes still glued on the receipt. “She’s yours too, you know.”

Taeyong’s heart jerks.

“She’s yours, Taeyong. She called you papa earlier than she called me dada.”

“…”

Jaehyun shifts in his seat, uncertain eyes darting on the Alpha’s side profile. “I have an idea. Will you hear me out? And… I know this will sound ridiculous and highly insensitive but we need all the help we can get.” He takes Taeyong’s hand and holds it tightly. “Please have an open mind…”

“What is it?” Why does Jaehyun want him to be open-minded?

This can affect their relationship but the Omega can’t think of a quicker solution. “The doctor said her heart defect might run in the family. I have no idea about mine, but–”

Taeyong shakes his head. “Don’t say it. Jaehyun, please don’t say it.”

“I just asked you to hear me out…”

“And I’m hearing you out.” Taeyong’s jaw clenches, the bitterness in his heart burgeoning by the second. “You’re going to tell me we will look for your ex-boyfriend and ask help from him, right? I thought you would never give him the chance to know about Areum?”

The pain prickling Taeyong overwhelms him, and he fights the urge to flee. How can Jaehyun ask _this_ of him?

Jaehyun sees the agony on the Alpha’s face and feels an immense guilt. Yet the fact that Taeyong hasn’t withdrawn his hand yet strangely comforts him, saying that this stupid idea might stand a chance. “He might be the reason why she’s sick. I’m just holding him accountable. If his family really has the same ailment, I can ask him to pay for Areum’s surgery. Because–”

“Because she’s his daughter. Because he’s the father.” Taeyong supplements through despair. “So you want _him_ to take responsibility.”

Isn’t it a little bit unfair? That man never cared, that man never saw Jaehyun when he was pregnant, that man never carried Areum for the past year. And then suddenly, he could be the only answer to save the child he never knew? The child that Taeyong loved unconditionally even before she came into the world, even though she wasn’t his?

“Taeyong, I’m sorry…” Jaehyun is the one that lets go, too ashamed to have voiced out something that he knew would hurt his mate. “I…I don’t know how else we’ll get the money. That man runs a liquor business. He can at least pay half…” The Omega continues to convince Taeyong, ignoring the strong scent of self-hatred in the air. “B-but if you have a better idea, let’s just go with that…?”

How stupid can Jaehyun get in the most sensitive times? He badly wants to avoid being stereotyped but here he is, proving that he cannot do that.

“Give me a minute. Don’t talk.” Taeyong says as he leaves his seat and approaches the window. He watches Areum for definitely more than just a minute, probably ten at most to weigh the pros and cons of looking for her other biological father. It certainly bruises Taeyong’s ego, but he knows that his feelings are not important right now. They have to think of Areum and Areum alone, and consider all the possible solutions. Even if it pummels his heart in the process.

Soon coming to a decision, he returns to Jaehyun’s side and holds his wrist to rub the scent gland there while releasing pheromones to dispel Jaehyun’s distress. He may not like the Omega’s suggestion but he can never get mad at him. Never. He loves Jaehyun too much. “When do you want to see him?”

Eyes wide, Jaehyun stares at the man before him. He really doesn’t deserve Taeyong’s kindness. If this was any other Alpha, he would’ve been hit for being insensitive. Instead, what he’s getting is pure understanding. “…Maybe tonight, after visiting hours. Let’s just ask Minjun to stay later. Hopefully _he_ still lives there.”

“How sure are you that he’ll help? You still remember what he did to you, right?”

“I won’t forget. But I wanna do this for Areum.” Jaehyun’s arms coil around Taeyong, face buried on the Alpha’s neck. “Will you come with me?”

Taeyong sighs. What kind of question is that? Embracing Jaehyun, he presses a kiss to the other’s head. “Where else would I be if not next to you?”

Thankfully, Minjun doesn’t mind extending his impromptu shift. They keep the real reason as to where they’re going but _ahjumma_ doesn’t probe anymore, with Minjun telling them he’ll know eventually.

Jaehyun suggests taking the bus.

Since Jaehyun knows the place best, Taeyong lets his Omega decide what to do. On the bus ride, he puts on an old, black cap on Jaehyun’s head. Transitioning from winter means the freezing temperature melts away but with a smattering of rain. Better safe than sorry.

 _Homigot-myeon_ is 10 kilometers away from _Guryongpo-eup._ A land located on a cape taking after the tail of a tiger, east of urban _Pohang._ It juts out into the sea which explains Jaehyun’s former job being a fisherman.

It’s a slow, careful trip to the small, fishing village because of the narrow road coupled with the locals that seemingly do not feel the need to sleep as they head North. Jaehyun pushes the button for the bus to pull over and signals Taeyong to follow him out.

“Is there a festival?” Taeyong asks as they squeeze through a throng of people.

Jaehyun nods. “ _Homigot_ holds an annual Octopus festival every April. Come…” Taking Taeyong’s hand in his, the Omega leads the way to an upscale neighborhood just a few turns away from the festival proper.

As someone who came from a wealthy family, Taeyong is unfazed by the huge houses. He remains silent as Jaehyun walks down the road knowing the direction like the back of his hand. The Alpha dismisses it.

Ten minutes later, they stop before the tall gates of a two-storey house within a large land area. Taeyong glimpses two sportscars in the garage through the several slits on the gates. Plants surround the small lawn where a coffee table for four sits in the middle. Its residents must be asleep for all the lights are shut off save by the two lamp posts outside. 

The celebration from the festival is a soft whisper from where they stand, failing miserably to drown the clamor within the Alpha.

Taeyong looks at the nervous man on his left. “Is this…?”

“Yeah, if I’m not mistaken. I’ve only been here once.”

“You said you met him through a common friend.”

“Mm. That friend owns a stall in the market I supplied with my catch.” Jaehyun rubs his hands on the front of his shirt to keep it from trembling.

“Are you okay?”

Is he? He’d only been in this house once but Jaehyun remembers every second of the nightmare it gave him. “No,” he says, voice firm with grudge. “I hate him. But Areum needs help.”

Taeyong nods with a sigh before ringing the doorbell. He presses it twice until the small monitor attached to it glows and a rough voice comes over the intercom asking who it is. He’s about to say his name when Jaehyun steps before him.

“It’s Jaehyun.”

Silence ensues for a moment before the lights downstairs flicker and a man in his sleepwear exits the front door, looking at Jaehyun in surprise.

Tension wracks Jaehyun when they settle in the luxurious living room. The man doesn’t even have the common courtesy to offer them something to drink as he instantly sits across them, disdainful eyes landing on Jaehyun immediately.

“You’re lucky my wife is out of the country.”

“Wife?”

“I married Woori six months ago. Are you here to belatedly send your well wishes?”

Jaehyun frowns a bit. It only sinks in him how improper this meeting is now that the man that used him sits before his mate. “Soohyun, please don’t talk to me like that. I wasn’t the one who fooled anyone into being a bedwarmer.”

 _Soohyun_ chuckles, nodding. “Right. I forgot. My apologies. Then…why are you here?” He glances between the two then gestures towards Taeyong without even looking at him. “Who is this man glaring at me?”

“He’s my mate.”

The ex-boyfriend raises a brow in mock awe. “Wonderful. That must be why you smell so different now. So you’re here to inform me that you successfully found a partner despite not being _fresh._ Do you know?” This time, he looks Taeyong in the eye.

“About his struggles?” Taeyong grits his teeth. He hates _Firewood._ “Yes. I stayed with him throughout his pregnancy. Playing the role that was originally yours.”

“…You were really pregnant that time?” Soohyun says more to himself than Jaehyun who visibly trembles in anger. “Of course, I knew. Well, I had a hunch. Tangerine is a nice scent, but not when it gets intense. The thought of you being pregnant was revolting, so I pretended not to be aware. Moreover, you were the third party. How could I just–”

“I don’t care about any of your explanations because I’m not here for that.”

“Then speak. Use your words like what’s expected of you. What do you really want from me?”

Jaehyun blindly grasps Taeyong’s hand. Talking about his child with this deplorable man is sickening. “Areum is sick. She’s really sick. But…but we’re not financially capable for the surgery to push through.”

Soohyun figures that’s the child’s name. Head tilting indifferently, he shrugs. “And?”

The smell of fury emanates within the house. “What do you mean ‘and’? She might be sick because of you! Do you have a history of heart defects? Your family?”

“I don’t know why this is important but my cousin died of heart attack at age 6.” The man reclines in his seat, arms crossed as he looks at the two with blatant contempt. “Is this a documentary?”

“Soohyun,” The Omega says such name with pained effort. “Please help Areum. If we don’t get the money as soon as possible, she’ll stay at the hospital longer and the bills will rack up without her getting treated. She’s only one year old. I don’t want to lose her.”

Witnessing this scene unfold before him, Taeyong inwardly calls for the ground to swallow him whole. None of this is remotely okay. None of this is remotely normal. He wishes there were more options to choose from so they wouldn’t have to resort to begging. He doesn’t even give a damn anymore that he’s an incapable Alpha. What _infuriates_ him is the way Jaehyun lets himself be insulted, and Taeyong can’t act rash because this might really be the only solution to their problem and he can’t ruin it.

“Aren’t you being unbelievably brazen?”

Soohyun’s voice pulls him out of a rageful reverie.

“We are nothing to each other. How can you ask help from someone who was never there for you? Am I the father? I just put a damn pup inside you, but she’s not mine. I’m all for charity, Jaehyun. It please me, it pleases my wife. She won’t forget what I did with you and I can’t lose my spot in their family business because she’d discover once again about you and _your_ child.” Soohyun derisively glances at Taeyong. “Didn’t this bastard say he took over my role? What, everything is courageous until money happens? How can you be an Alpha without the fucking money? You’re literally useless. Telling me you took over _my_ role,” he laughs curtly. “The role is to provide and you obviously can’t do that. Get out of my house.”

“Soohyun, _please…_ ” How Jaehyun loathes the sound of it. “We need a little help. Any amount will do–”

“Keep quiet.” Taeyong growls through Jaehyun’s pitiful display of pleading. “We went here to convince him to cover half of the expense, not beg coins.” He drags Jaehyun up with him, ready to leave.

Soohyun scoffs. Poor people are very amusing. “Dignity doesn’t look good on the poor. It’s my first time to witness choosy beggars. Get out. It’s not my fault your kid is sick, Jaehyun. It’s not my fault your mate is impecunious. You’re just unfortunate. You’ve always be–” He doesn’t get to finish his words for Taeyong has already landed a punch square on his jaw, sending him on a wincing mess on the floor.

“Taeyong!”

Delivering a nasty kick to the vile Alpha’s side, Taeyong threatens. “Insult my family again and you won’t see another day. I hate to be barbaric the most but I have no problems making an exception for you. And Alphas can keep fragments of humanity in them without being rich, you son of a bitch.”

They storm out of the house while Soohyun heaves on the floor. A bus stops just outside the upscale neighborhood and Taeyong quickly boards it with Jaehyun, taking the seat at the very back.

His knuckles ache with a dull throb. Jaehyun’s muffled sobs slow down the rapid beating of his heart and Taeyong wordlessly welcomes his boyfriend in a loving embrace, before planting a soft kiss on Jaehyun’s head.

“What do we do?”

Taeyong glances out the window as the atmosphere of _Homigot’s_ festivities retreat each second, unveiling the hideous shades of the real world.

Poverty, injustice, imbalanced society.

He lets Jaehyun cry for the whole bus ride home and when they get off as the Omega messily wipes his swollen eyes dry, the pain in Taeyong’s heart doubles, that he finds himself blurting out something he never thought he’d say ever again.

“I’m going back to Seoul.”

Jaehyun stops walking and turns to the lagging Alpha. “What?”

“I’m going back to Seoul. Stay here and be with Areum.”

“Why are you going back to Seoul?”

“You attempted the impossible. I’ll do the same.” Taeyong pockets his hands and crosses the small distance between them. “I’ll tell _ahjumma_ I won’t be back to work yet. Might take me two days. My parents are tough nuts to crack.”

“They disowned you…”

“I’m very much aware of that.”

Forehead pressing on Taeyong’s shoulder, Jaehyun grips both sides of the Alpha’s shirt and fights back the whimper threatening to tear out of his throat. “Do you not want me to be there for you?”

The moon shines overhead. Taeyong cups Jaehyun’s cheeks and presses a soft kiss on his lips. “Watch Areum for me tomorrow.”

“Need me to drop you off at the train station?”

“Just stay with Areum.” Taeyong says and drapes an arm around Jaehyun’s shoulders as they begin the walk back to the apartment. “It’s been almost three years since I ran away. They might not even remember how I look like anymore.”

“Don’t exaggerate…”

“I’m not exaggerating. They must have removed me from the family registry. That’s as good as decimating all memories of me.”

Only a few people are still on the streets of _Guryongpo-ri._ Walking with Jaehyun like this without Areum in their arms is an unpleasant fusion of misery and nostalgia. The nights when a pregnant Jaehyun wanted to be nocturnal, and the nights when they roamed with a slobbering infant. It’s like a tug-o-war within Taeyong but without the certainty of a winner because those nights cannot be replayed. Not at the moment. He just wishes they’re back to the good times.

It isn’t even a week ago when things were still fine. How fast the days truly change. How sudden and heartbreaking. Taeyong promises that once Areum heals, he’ll never take a second for granted. Ever.

After apologizing to _ahjumma_ for the constant troubles, Taeyong heads to the hospital with Jaehyun to watch Areum for an hour. Holding her tiny hand, he asks her to give them a little more time, says too many sorry’s for taking longer than they should. When the hour ends, Taeyong bids Jaehyun a temporary goodbye before leaving the hospital to go back to the city he learned to associate with lack of freedom.

Now, he’ll step back in its territory to face his past for the sake of the present he wants to keep.

He arrives in Seoul at 4pm. Almost three years away from it and it’s still the same, old cacophonous city, rich and loud at broad daylight. _Guryongpo_ may not hold a candle to it but Taeyong likes the former better. It’s where he found a purpose in life without luxury. It’s where he found the reason for him to live life like luxury.

With only a small bag filled with homemade food and some change of clothes, Taeyong gets in a cab and tells the driver their address. They resided in one of the wealthy, exclusive villages in the heart of Seoul but there might be a chance that his parents already left the mansion.

It’s a forty-minute ride from the station – could’ve been shorter, but Seoul isn’t exactly known for a smooth flow of traffic.

Taeyong pays the fare as soon as the cab reaches his destination. The mansion hasn’t changed since the last time he saw it, so maybe his parents are still there. His father despises changes unless it’s beneficial.

A maid he doesn’t recognize answers the gate. She must be a new hire. Taeyong says his name and the maid immediately lets him in without any confirmation of his identity, which is very telling. Does it mean that he’s not yet considered a taboo in the Lee household?

He’s lived in this mansion all his life so Taeyong kindly dismisses the maid. He knows exactly where to go.

One look at the garage confirms that they haven’t removed him from the registry yet. His old sportscar is still there, parked where he last left it. Certainly dusty. The master of the house probably ordered them not to touch it.

Taeyong climbs the stairs with palpable anxiety. The way things are still in their positions three years ago somehow fills him with dread. No changes, except for the family pictures on the wall. The only ones left hanging are of his parents, his own face nowhere to be found.

The hall leading to his father’s office isn’t long but the Alpha takes forever to reach it. The further he goes, the thicker the air gets. It’s honestly suffocating but he sucks it up.

_Think of Areum. This is for her, nothing else._

That’s right. He didn’t return to Seoul to beg them to take him back, but he hopes that he’ll manage to soften them up once they hear about their granddaughter.

Will they even acknowledge her, when it’s not Taeyong’s blood that runs in her veins?

The Alpha takes a deep breath and knocks, heart lurching at the sound of ‘ _come in_ ’.

Taeyong pushes the door open.

Mr. Lee looks up from the file he’s reading and is stupefied by the sight of his son whom he hasn’t seen in almost three years. It takes him a moment to pull himself together before schooling his features into a stoic one, dead set on not sparing Taeyong a normal reaction expected from a parent who’s glad to have his only child back. “If it isn’t the black sheep of the family.”

Taeyong expects just as much. “Dad…” he says, clutching the strap of his bag.

The elder Lee leaves the file open on the mahogany desk and reclines in his swivel chair, twirling a pen. “What’s the proper thing to say for this reunion? Three years, Taeyong? We never heard from you for three years.” His eyes are cold and unfamiliar, determined to show no mercy to the personification of letdown before him.

“But you did everything to avoid seeing a trace of me. What’s so hard with giving me a call?” Taeyong despises how they failed to understand him deeply. However, there are still those instances counted in both hands that made him hold onto a thread of thinning hope that they might care, even just a little bit.

“Would you have answered?” Mr. Lee’s mouth quirks into a scornful smile when his son looks away. “See? You are still the hardheaded son that did nothing but disappoint me. Did you finally learn the lesson you’re looking for? Such an idealist.” He clicks his tongue in annoyance. “That is so unnecessary. Or did you get sick of living the hard way?”

Taeyong purposely dodges the questions by asking about his mother.

“She’s at the company. Do you wish to see her?”

“That’d be nice.” His father won’t lower his pride to tell him to take a seat so Taeyong just allows himself to do so, sitting on the sofa facing the door with the bag on his lap as Taeyong’s father picks up the phone.

Mr. Lee doesn’t take his eyes away from the young man while waiting for the call to get through. “Are you here to come back?”

“I love my life in _Guryongpo._ ” Taeyong says without keeping the eye contact. It only makes him feel like he’s being ground.

“You look older than your age. What kind of life do you have there?”

“My accounts of working at a small seafood restaurant to serve customers and wash dishes, and sleep in a one-bedroom apartment as big as the bathroom here won’t amuse you.”

“Precisely. It sounds dismal.” Mr. Lee clears his throat when his wife finally picks up. “Honey, you might want to postpone the meeting. Someone is demanding your presence at home.”

_“Who is it? The conference is about to begin.”_

“Who else?” The elder Lee scoffs. “Your good for nothing son is here.”

The door slams open as Mrs. Lee arrives, eyes threatening to bulge out as she rushes towards her son. “Taeyong!” She pulls him in a bone-crushing hug, a greeting Taeyong least expects from someone as equally difficult as his father. “My god, you’re back! I can’t believe this!” The elegant lady tugs him up and cups his cheeks, happiness too transparent on her face that it’s disconcerting. “Is this a dream? Oh god. It’s real. You’re back. My son, you’re back home. But look at you,” she says as she gives him a once over, her pretty face now marred by an ugly frown. “What in god’s name are you wearing?”

Taeyong knew her excitement was too good to be true.

Haseon takes a few steps back, eyeing her son in a mix of disapproval and disbelief. “I don’t know what to feel. The stunt you pulled remains unforgiven. What went through your head? Running away and not coming back for such a long time? The only reason I haven’t died yet is because I swore to make you realize what kind of person you are for throwing away the life many are dreaming of. Just because you don’t like the mate we chose for you!” Mrs. Lee deposits her handbag on the couch. “Ungrateful. That’s what you are.”

“…Did you even miss me?”

Mr. Lee merely watches the exchange boredly.

As though deliberately dismissing the flicker of sadness in her son’s eyes, Haseon walks over to the chair by the desk and continues to gesticulate as she lectures. Three years of disappearance, and this is what she does as soon as Taeyong returns. “We knew you’d eventually realize! 24 years of luxury – you’d certainly miss it. This is a huge surprise. Don’t expect us to welcome you back so easily. Are you even aware of the burden you caused this family?” She looks at him like she was never at fault, and that Taeyong wanting to live his own life was the worst crime to commit.

“He doesn’t give a damn, Haseon.” Mr. Lee says. “He said he has something to say.”

“What could be so pressing for you to drag me away from a meeting?” Mrs. Lee complains, confirming that none of them are actually glad to have Taeyong back. “The only thing I want to hear from you is an apology, Taeyong.”

Well, their hairs will whiten trying to wait for their son to find fault in something so harmless.

Taeyong stands his ground, looking them straight in the eye. “I have a mate.”

Mr. Lee slams his pen down, startling his wife. “And you thought that was worth telling us because…?”

“And we have a daughter. She turned a year old last month. Her name is Areum.” Talking about his lovely baby never fails to spread warmth within him. Taeyong pulls out his phone to show them one of her photos. “She’s really beautiful and you’ll love her.”

“…Stop talking now,” Haseon shakes her head slowly. “We know you don’t want to get married but this is just over the top. You don’t need to lie. You’re back and we will talk with–”

Taeyong resists the growing urge to shout. “Areum is in the hospital because she has a heart defect and she needs to undergo surgery. I’m here to ask for help because I have no money to pay for it. I can’t access my accounts since you blocked them.”

His mother is horrified but not because of Areum’s situation. Mr. Lee momentarily buries his face in his hands to likely choose words that will hurt the most, and finally looks up. “I can’t even begin to comprehend your temerity to say that to our faces. You ran away from a beneficial marriage, proceeded to impregnate a nobody and you are asking us to help your sick child? Is your mate just a penniless?”

“His name is Jaehyun and I love him.”

It only seems to wreck this hopeless reunion.

Mrs. Lee huffs. “How _low_ are you gonna get? It….it absolutely sickens me.”

“Is it?” Taeyong taunts, crossing his arms to somehow keep himself from completely lashing out. “Is it sickening? Let me see how much you throw up when I tell you Areum isn’t biologically mine. Jaehyun was already pregnant when I met him. And whatever you say, Areum is my daughter.” He smirks as they continuously gape at him. “How sickening is it, mom?”

He sees it coming, but Taeyong makes no move to avoid the staggering slap his mother gives.

“How dare you! You disappear for three years and _this!?_ This is what you have become?! Looking at you upsets me profoundly!”

His cheek stings painfully. Taeyong felt her mother’s wedding ring scrape his skin from the impact. Still, he’s undeterred. “I don’t wish for you to take me back, but I don’t want to lose my daughter. It’s just…an open-heart surgery?” He then looks at his silently fuming father. “How badly would it strain your pockets? It’s a coin for you. Equivalent to an unsatisfying, exorbitant dinner. But it means a lot to me. It means a damn lot to me. The longer it takes me to find money, the longer she’ll suffer. Does it not…does it not alarm you? A toddler might be denied the chance to grow up because her grandparents didn’t want to spare some coins.”

“SHE IS NOT MY GRANDDAUGHTER!” Mr. Lee’s roaring voice makes Taeyong flinch in both shock and incredulity. “My skin crawls just thinking of you rearing a child that isn’t yours! That’s not your duty, Taeyong. Your duty is to build your own family, have children who share your flesh and blood. You, taking in a damaged Omega, is beyond repulsive.”

“Jaehyun is not damaged! Why do you keep focusing on him, and ignoring what I’m desperately asking?”

Haseon walks back to her husband. “Taeyong, you are demanding us to pay for a stranger’s surgery.”

How inhumane and soulless can his parents get? They have so much money yet they can’t afford some humanity. “…I can’t go home without money. Dad, please.” Taeyong approaches his father and the latter swats his hands away. “Please, it’s a child’s life we’re talking about here. I know you hate me, but please help my daughter.”

Mr. Lee drowns out his son’s pleas for a minute, before holding up a hand to silence Taeyong. “You’re right, it’s nothing to me. Just a few coins. I will help you, in one condition.” He takes in the sight of his hopeful son. “Marry Yujin.”

A beat of silence. Taeyong turns around, exasperatedly running hands through his hair before slamming them on the desk as he looks at his father with pure rage. “I have a mate! Did you not hear what I said? I have a mate! Made love and mated! Bond mark and all that! You’re not clueless about what cheating does to a mate, are you? The mark _burns._ It burns. How could you ask me to do that? And don’t tell me to break the bond. You know the only way for that to happen is if one of us dies.”

“That’s not what I meant. There should be some other way. And what if it burns him?” Mr. Lee casually questions. “It’s the only condition I ask of you. The child will live, I guarantee you that. _I can pull all the strings to give them a convenient life._ You only need to marry Yujin, close a business deal, voila. The child is safe. Yujin’s family is still very much interested in working with us, Taeyong. We can’t find another partner willing to wait for an immature Alpha like you. Don’t be too prideful. Isn’t this a good opportunity to be heroic?”

“Political marriages aren’t bad, Taeyong.” His mother says. “Look at your father and I. We’re doing well!”

“Look at you? You two are manipulative. Why would I want to be like you? Do you not understand why I ran away in the first place? Because I found no purpose here. You planned my whole life and expected me to live it mechanically. You choked me with expectations and gave me no freedom to figure out what I wanted to do. You’re STILL doing it! Is it so hard to ask me what I want? What’s going to make me happy?”

Mr. Lee scowls. “We asked you that before and you said you didn’t know. That’s exactly why we want you to take over this business and marry a reputable woman. Because you had nothing else to do. Because you didn’t know anything else.”

“It’s different now, dad! Mom! I have my own family now! I found my happiness in them! I found my purpose in them! And all I want from you is to support me.” Taeyong doesn’t know what to do anymore. Everything is spiraling towards an unfavorable direction. “Please, dad. Help Areum…”

“Marry Yujin or nothing.”

Taeyong sags despondently. Looking at both his parents confirms that nothing good will come out of this reunion.

“…Is that the only way?”

His father is ever assertive.

“It’s for the best, Taeyong.”

“If that’s the only way, then fine.” Taeyong flashes an empty smile at them before sauntering to the couch to pick up his bag.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to my family. Have to look for jobs so I can pay for my daughter’s surgery. To be honest, I don’t know how I can make that possible,” Taeyong hikes his bag and sighs. “But I will pull all the strings I can without hurting anybody. Not my daughter, not my love.”

The painting by the wall rattles at the slam of the door. Mr. Lee stares at where Taeyong previously stood and reopens the folder he was reading. “Do not follow him, Haseon. He will come back sooner or later.”

Thoughts about the sick child plagues the elder Alpha’s mind, but his stone heart forces them out. His son will learn the right lesson soon.

Every coin counts so Jaehyun goes back to the restaurant after visiting hours to bus tables with Minjun. Supposedly, the Beta shouldn’t be covering for them anymore but Minjun claims he’s become greedy for extra income, and that delivering parcels isn’t as fun as serving tables and marinating crabs. The guy sounds sarcastic but he does make sense sometimes.

“I think it would be easier if you were there,” Minjun tells the Omega while washing dishes. “You Omegas have that magic to make the scariest Alphas soften, you know. It’s a good thing I’m not an Alpha. You’d be taking advantage of me every chance you get.”

Jaehyun scrunches his nose before drying the plates Minjun hands him. “What does that even mean? There’s nothing you can offer me.”

“…What does that even mean?” Minjun parrots him and shoves another plate to Jaehyun. “Shut up and dry them faster.”

They’re about to start bickering again when they hear _ahjumma_ mention Taeyong’s name. Jaehyun looks at the counter, gasping at the sight of his boyfriend and quickly runs to him. “Taeyong…?”

“Not a bit of mercy was given,” The Alpha says with a sad smile as he puts his bag on the counter, next to the register. _Ahjumma_ watches him sadly. Taeyong merely shrugs and ruffles Jaehyun’s hair. It’s only been eight hours, more or less, but he missed his mate greatly. “I didn’t know that there’d be people so incorrigibly cold-hearted that a sick child cannot change their minds. Would you believe the condition they asked me?”

He tries hard to appear indifferent yet everyone standing close sees through it, spots the quiet despair.

Taeyong opens his bag and takes out the now empty Tupperware previously filled with Jaehyun’s homemade _Bibimbap._ “They said in order for them to help my baby, I have to marry Yujin. All of you remember that name, don’t you?”

Surely, Minjun and _ahjumma_ have heard about her. Taeyong confided in the old woman that time when it became awkward between him and Jaehyun, and the nosy Beta would always find a way to be updated with Taeyong’s troubles.

They all catch a whiff of jealousy coming off of Jaehyun. However, it is quickly dispelled by Taeyong wrapping a reassuring arm around Jaehyun’s waist. “Of course, I’m not an asshole to agree with that. I already have a mate and I will never leave my family.”

The Omega sniffles, combing Taeyong’s hair with his fingers. What did he do in his past life to deserve this kind of love from such an amazing person?

Taeyong eyes them. “You know what they say? Sleep is for the weak.”

 _Ahjumma_ sighs. “Oh, Taeyong…”

“Let’s go look for more jobs. We might stop visiting Areum for a while but our princess will understand. It’s for her. Maybe the whole village can chip in?” Taeyong’s eyes sting so he pretends to yawn sleepily while rubbing them. “It might cover ¼ of the package. Then we just need to work for the other ¼.” He looks at Jaehyun, pinching his cheek. “Areum can wait for us, right?”

Jaehyun nods. Even if he doesn’t ask, he knows how painful it is for Taeyong. “Let’s start looking tomorrow.”

“Why don’t you try applying for medical assistance? That hospital surely partnered up with a health insurance agency…”

Taeyong sighs, appreciating _ahjumma_ ’s will to help nonetheless. “We tried that when we were preparing for Jaehyun’s delivery, but I can’t access my insurance account. My parents opened that over two decades ago, disabled it when I ran away. And they’re requiring government IDs for both patient and guardian. Jaehyun doesn’t have any ID.”

“My goodness. Then I’ll ask the neighborhood to give us any amount. It’ll be a huge help. Minjun, your new job pays better so make use of it. Don’t think I’m not offended with you resigning here.”

Minjun playfully rolls his eyes at _ahjumma._ “Of course, I’ll help. Don’t need to tell me.”

The Alpha punches Minjun’s shoulder, earning an exaggerated wail. “Thank you.”

“This is the first time you’re thanking me–”

“You were never useful before.”

Tongue-ing the inside of his cheek, Minjun squints at Taeyong. “That’s better.”

Looking for a new job is never easy. They spend days going around _Guryongpo_ - _ri,_ but no one is hiring part-time. Moreover, the village and connecting _ri_ are deficient in establishments that are open 24/7, hence the only available positions are day-shift. They can’t get it since they already work for _ahjumma._

Two more weeks go by of struggling to scour the neighboring villages for any kind of work. While the opportunity is still nowhere to be found, Jaehyun and Taeyong try their best to squeeze in an hour or two in their daily schedules to visit Areum. Her Pneumonia is gone, yet her heart seems to malfunction every other day now that its defect has been found out.

Breaking down is not an option. No matter how much the Omega hurts for his daughter, he sucks it up and blinks the tears away before dropping another promise after a hundred others of saving her, and returns to the restaurant to serve irate diners who have no idea about what he’s going through. Countless times the tears threaten to overflow and Jaehyun only needs to excuse himself for a minute in the back room before rushing to the kitchen because one more table wants another serving of the same order and they do not care about his personal issues.

Suffering the same unfair fate is Taeyong. Mornings for him have stopped being exciting. A babbling Areum beats his alarm clock and ever since she came, going to work stopped feeling like a dull routine. Now, it’s reduced to dragging himself out of bed with Jaehyun and hoping a miracle happens so that they’ll already have the money needed for her operation.

When their neighbors finally hear what happened, they willingly donate how much they can. _Guryongpo-ri_ is not rich, every family survives each day with just enough, but their effort to wish Areum well makes Jaehyun and Taeyong feel like nicer days will come about soon.

Not once did Taeyong imagine that his formerly rude neighbors will be the ones to extend their aid when life gets rough. Blood is not always thicker than water. Sometimes, strangers are the ones to stay with you through the obstacles, more than the people you expected to.

Almost a month later, Taeyong eventually finds work in _Yeonil-eup_ as a custodian in a bar. It’s 18 kilometers away from _Guryongpo-ri_ and the everyday commute will surely take a toll on his body but he’ll survive.

It’s just exhaustion. Physical, mental, emotional. Nothing that can hurt him more than what’s hurting his daughter.

Jaehyun can’t join the Alpha because the place is only hiring one cleaner. Refusing to let his spirits die, Jaehyun continues to apply for all jobs possible that will hire someone with his credentials – or lack thereof.

He doesn’t wonder why Taeyong could do it easier. Despite being blacklisted in corporate jobs, Taeyong is still an Alpha that received proper education and finished university. His degree impresses people even if having a diploma isn’t required to be qualified as a janitor.

But even without those, even if Taeyong was a lowly Omega like Jaehyun, his self-confidence and strong will can surely land him a job. Jaehyun perseveres just as much, but he’s not an Alpha. He’s not even a Beta.

Life continues to be biased, but it’s something they have no control over. So Jaehyun doesn’t get envious. He’s proud of his mate. He just wishes things were more equal.

It’s been a week since Taeyong started his new, part-time job. Because his shift is at an ungodly hour, 12 midnight until 5 in the morning, he only has an hour to get ready after working at the restaurant. Go home with Jaehyun, wash up, mop spilt drinks and clean comfort rooms, he leaves _Yeonil-eup_ at 5:30 since he’s also tasked to tidy up the bar before closing. Sleep is spent on the bus ride home and during the two hours remaining before it’s time to work for _ahjumma._

His body will give up on him at the rate he’s going. Taeyong only wishes he saves up enough before it does.

For a short while, their days are stagnant. Jaehyun only works at the restaurant but full-time so he’s still earning more than what he used to. Visiting Areum gradually stops for the sake of work. The guilt flourishes within the Omega every day that he doesn’t go to the hospital, only tamed by the reminder that this is going to pay for his baby’s surgery.

However, his last hope shatters in a snap when they head to the restaurant one day and find _ahjumma_ sobbing in her husband’s arms.

Some of the adjoining stores’ owners are in the same state of distraught on the street.

“Ahjumma…?” Taeyong carefully says. The woman’s husband peers up at him, face wrinkled glumly. “What’s going on?”

“The restaurant is gone. We cannot operate anymore…”

_What?_

Gobsmacked by the sudden news, Taeyong looks around and sees the same-looking papers plastered on the stores. He looks at the restaurant’s coiling doors and tears off the notice, eyes skimming over the message from the municipal office that says a tycoon has bought the property for a new business and all stores will be demolished soon. Hands shaking as intense as the beating of his heart, Taeyong turns to _ahjumma’s_ husband. “Did anyone from the municipal office come by?”

“Yes. They didn’t give us any more explanations. Even the other stores are forced to close.”

 _Ahjumma’s_ heartbreaking sobs join the others.

Jaehyun touches the seal on the paper. “It’s real. Isn’t this illegal?”

It probably is, but if Taeyong’s guess is right, if it is indeed _that_ person that mercilessly caused this, it’ll be difficult to appeal to the mayor. His father has all the money to attempt the impossible.

Taeyong crouches in front of _ahjumma_ and apologizes for the unfortunate event. He keeps his suspicions because he’s not entirely sure, and maybe because he doesn’t want the woman to despise him if it’s actually true.

How twisted things have become. She has been the backbone of Taeyong’s new life, and though indirectly, he’s caused her the worst stroke of bad luck. And he doesn’t have the courage to be honest.

“Taeyong,” Jaehyun tugs the Alpha’s sleeve. “What about us?”

What about them? What’s going to happen to them now? The restaurant is their only stable source of income. The restaurant is Jaehyun’s only source of income. _Ahjumma_ is the only one that took him in without judgment. Until now, no one else is willing to hire him.

“I don’t know.”

Assurances are pretty much worthless at this point. As much as Taeyong wants to comfort his mate, the reality is inescapable – No, they are not okay. Things are not alright. The days have become harsher than ever.

“Taeyong, Jaehyun, I’m sorry.” With brimming tears, _ahjumma_ turns to her servers. “I’ll head to the municipal office later. You can’t lose your job.”

Even until now, she’s still thinking about them.

Taeyong throws the guilt away with a shake of his head. “Don’t worry, _ahjumma._ The restaurant helped us a lot.” He leaves it at that because there’s nothing else for him to say. What are the right things to say to someone who lost their business anyway? No words will be able to make these owners feel better. Especially any kind of vain comfort coming from him.

He pulls Jaehyun aside, ensures that _ahjumma_ and her husband are out of earshot. “Ask Minjun if he could help you get in that courier service. If _ahjumma_ decides to go to the office, you should tag along. It’s the least thing we can do, because my father is most likely the reason behind the stores’ closure.”

Jaehyun gasps. “How…?”

“When I begged them to help, I told them where I work. I’m not sure, but don’t tell anyone.”

“Why can’t we?”

“If we told them, would we get the restaurant back? Plus, what would _ahjumma_ think? Logically speaking, she wouldn’t take us back in. She would drive us away, Jaehyun. It’s…it’s sort of a white lie. It’s not our fault.”

Is it not? If only he agreed to marrying Yujin, this wouldn’t happen.

“And since there’s nothing to do today, you might want to visit Areum.”

Jaehyun grasps the other’s hands. “You’re not visiting her?”

“I’ll go to _Yeonil-eup_ first. Ask if they can let me work full-time, then I’ll go to the hospital.”

“Are you sure? We should see Areum together…”

“Mm. I’ll see you there.” Taeyong kisses Jaehyun’s forehead before turning to the elderly couple. “ _Ahjussi, ahjumma,_ I’ll be going first.”

The owner of the bar lets Taeyong work full-time, moving his shift to 1 in the afternoon. He quickly heads back so he can see Areum with Jaehyun for an hour until it’s time for work. While watching their daughter from the waiting area, Jaehyun tells him that _ahjumma_ decides not to go to the municipal office anymore. The elderly couple is going to use their earnings to rent a small stall in the market where they can continue the business.

“Can’t they hire another cleaner? Or a bartender… I’m a quick learner so it will be easy.”

Taeyong apologetically rubs the back of Jaehyun’s neck. “I asked them earlier but they said they don’t need more employees. Did Minjun say anything?”

“They don’t want to hire an Omega. Said it’d just be a problem.”

“Ah, they didn’t lie.”

Jaehyun frowns.

“You’re too pretty. They’ll mix up the packages while sorting because they’re going to be just looking at you. And Alphas…those bastards. Even if they smell me on you, they won’t give a damn as long as I’m not there.” Smiling teasingly, Taeyong leans in to lovingly bump their noses. “Jaehyun, you’re so attractive. But they’re stupid for not hiring someone as hardworking as you.”

The Omega furiously blushes and gently untangles himself from his boyfriend. “We’re in public…”

“And? I’m just hugging you. It will make Areum happy to know her parents love each other.”

Deeply affected by the Alpha’s teasing, Jaehyun petulantly crosses his arms as he looks away with an adorable pout on his reddened face. “She already knows it. And she’s asleep!”

Taeyong sighs fondly. Whatever Jaehyun does makes his heart swell with adoration. Taking the younger man’s hand, he kisses Jaehyun’s palm thrice. “She’s always asleep whenever we make love. Areum doesn’t need to see to know papa loves dada so much.” Taeyong dismisses the possible onlookers as he kisses Jaehyun on the lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Jaehyun sighs into the kiss, about to deepen it when someone clears their throat behind and the couple is forced to sever from each other giggling softly, temporarily forgetting the weight of the burden on their shoulders.

Over the next couple of weeks, Taeyong focuses on his job, even working overtime to earn more. Oftentimes, denizens will tip him even though he’s not a server simply for his looks. As a custodian, Taeyong usually stays in the hall leading to the restrooms and rarely does he set foot in the main area so he’s puzzled whenever they discreetly slip bills in his hand. He only gets an answer when the bartender casually mentions it during the end of his shift on a weekend.

Taeyong doesn’t really care much about his appearance, but supposes it’s doing him good – the restaurant earned its regulars because of his face, too.

He saves all the tips, not once accepting a co-worker’s offer to try some drinks. Even without Areum, he doesn’t wish to pick on his old habits.

Jaehyun, Minjun, and _ahjumma_ visit Areum. The old lady tears up when they exit the room, and stands by the window to look at the girl she already loves like a real granddaughter.

“ _Ahjumma,_ don’t cry.” Minjun calls from his seat, “Areum is going to be out of this hospital soon.”

The old lady sits down next to Jaehyun, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. “She’s so young–why do these things always happen to good people?”

“Ugh. You’re right. Why don’t shit like this just happen to the devil that closed the restaurant?”

Jaehyun perks up. “Is the business at the market doing well?”

“The start is always the roughest point of a business, Jaehyun. My husband and I are struggling to adjust but it’s better than nothing. Besides, we are more worried about you and Taeyong. How is he?”

“Um, things have become harder ‘cause I’m not working. He always works overtime and brings home tips. The only thing that sets my heart at ease is the fact that he’s getting decent sleep again. I was scared that he might get sick for pushing himself too hard.”

Minjun smirks. “That guy is tough. You’d need to break his bones to inflict a pinch of pain.” He says and nudges Jaehyun’s side. “How are _you?_ You can’t be okay mentally.”

“I’m trying to be,” the Omega mumbles while mindlessly thumbing the loose thread on his jeans. “If my baby and Taeyong get hurt, they need someone strong to hold onto.”

How long is he going to pretend to be strong, though? God knows how much he wants to take a rest. It’s selfish, considering that his boyfriend is doing everything he can to save up for Areum’s surgery, and his baby is fighting for her life everyday. The least Jaehyun can do is stay sane.

Sensing the Omega’s distress, _ahjumma_ soothingly rubs Jaehyun’s arm. “You’re strong. The challenges you went through made you a strong person today, Jaehyun. This is nothing. This will pass.” Hopefully, it does.

The two men drop _ahjumma_ off at the place she and her husband are renting after leaving the hospital. They wait until she closes the door just to be sure. _Guryongpo-ri is_ always a little more dangerous at night even for the elderly.

Jaehyun grabs Minjun’s arm when the Beta starts walking. “Don’t go home yet.”

Minjun glances at the hand on his arm before slowly withdrawing. “I’m telling you, Jaehyun. I’m not gay. Don’t you dare use me against Taeyong–”

“That’s not it!” The Omega winces when he realizes how loud he’s being. “Why are you always so malicious? Don’t go home yet. Please accompany me…”

“You got commitments?”

“I wanna look for a job.”

“At this time of the night? It’s past 8, if you’re unaware.”

Jaehyun timidly scratches his head, causing the Beta to rolls his eyes.

“Fine. Do you have a place in mind?”

“Maybe…” Jaehyun says and starts pulling Minjun with him. “When we get there though, you have to shut up.”

“What the hell? If you’re dealing drugs, I want no part in it.” Minjun squints at the man dragging him somewhere he doesn’t know. “Go get jailed by yourself.”

“Stop assuming, will you? I need you there just in case…”

“Just in case what?”

“Just in case I can’t think straight. You need to think for me.”

Minjun then keeps his mouth shut and decides to trust the Omega for now.

Although when they arrive before the place Jaehyun is talking about, he regrets not stopping the Omega earlier.

“Jeong Jaehyun,” the Omega’s name rolls off vaguely threateningly off Minjun’s tongue. “No. No, I don’t support this. What the fuck are you thinking?!” Minjun flails angrily at the neon sign above the establishment’s main entrance. “A club?!”

They haven’t entered the heart of the red light district within _Guryongpo-eup_ yet but a few clubs are already flanking the street.

Jaehyun hunches slightly as the Beta continues to shoot daggers at him. “I saw a poster last time. They opened recently so they’re looking for entertainers. Entertainers, Minjun! Singers, comedienne–”

“Comedienne? So you’re trying to be funny by bringing me here? Is this a prank? Well it’s not fucking funny. What they mean by entertainers is far from what you’re thinking – ah, you’re not thinking, are you? Right, you brought me along because you need someone to drill some sense into you. Jaehyun,” Minjun seethes as he grabs Jaehyun by the collar. “This place is almost a whorehouse. What do you think people do here?”

Jaehyun grasps Minjun’s hand on his shirt, gulping in fear. “W-why are you so mad?”

“Because you’re being so fucking stupid right now!” Minjun lets go of the Omega with a shove, uncaring if he scares Jaehyun even more. “You know they will hire you right away because of your nature. And the respect you’re expecting from people? You’re never gonna find it once you get inside that place. Are you seriously brain-damaged? Are you not thinking?”

“I just–”

“Are you not thinking about Taeyong?!”

Jaehyun pauses.

Minjun huffs at the now panic-stricken man. “Hey, we’re frenemies but that doesn’t mean I’ll let you set yourself up this way. And I respect Taeyong. Do you?” Seeing the other hang his head low in shame, Minjun huffs disapprovingly. “I know you’re desperate, but don’t do this. You’re gonna fucking regret it.”

A scantily dressed woman chooses that time to step out of the club and spots them, eagerly beckoning them over.

“No thanks,” the Beta says before dragging Jaehyun away. “His Alpha is waiting for him at home!”

When they’ve walked far away from the district, Minjun knocks Jaehyun on the head. “I won’t tell Taeyong what you did. But please, don’t go there ever again. You think just because he doesn’t have a bond mark, he won’t feel it when someone else intimately touches you? You know perfectly well it hits a mate where it hurts the most. Right in the goddamn heart, Jaehyun. He smells a different scent on you, he’ll lose it.”

Jaehyun covers his face in absolute shame, muffling a whimper. “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to yourself. Give yourself the respect people won’t give you.”

Buses cannot get into the village so Taeyong gets off before the arc border of _Guryongpo-ri_. All houses are now unlit and the streets are merely illuminated by the yellow lights from the lampposts. It’s both calming and eerie with the lack of people walking this late at night.

He slows down as he nears an open chapel. For some reason, the sight of empty pews pulls him in and Taeyong finds himself entering a holy place for the first time in forever. His family is not religious despite being Christians. Their Sundays were never spent going to a church.

Taeyong sits on the second row. Looking at the altar makes him feel strangely sentimental. One minute ticks by with him just staring until it becomes two, three, and then Taeyong’s speaking to the crucified statue.

“It’s nearing 12, so you must be asleep. Or do you stay awake despite the different time zones? When I was in school, we were told that you’re ubiquitous. It must be hard not to get a wink of sleep while listening to all the prayers coming from billions of people.”

Taeyong chuckles inaudibly. “I feel dumb doing this. But I need someone to talk to. And I guess it’s a little comforting to know that you’re going to keep this to yourself. I just… I just want to ask you. Until when is this plan of yours going to happen? Omnipotent…but will you really stop Areum from hurting just because I asked you to?”

The Alpha doesn’t look away even as his vision blurs. “Listen. I love my daughter. I love my daughter so much. You gave Jaehyun to me, that means you gave Areum to me, too. Since you have an unlimited power and you can do things I can’t, let’s say, heal her heart, why don’t you do it already and rid us of all these burdens? All knowing, yet you can’t see how much my family is hurting because of all these plans you have. Or are they a hoax? Who’s doing it then? Who gave my daughter a faulty heart just because they were bored out of their minds and they wanted us to appreciate life better?”

A lone tear leaves a hot trail down his face. “Can’t you…can’t you please be a little gentler to people who don’t need lessons to learn? Be a little nicer to my child–and my mate, will you? I can take it all. If you’re awake, please listen to me.” Taeyong dries his eyes with his sleeve and leaves the pew, glancing at the altar for the last time. “Help me take care of them ‘cause I’m getting a little bit tired too.”

Jaehyun is sat on the floor as he sketches on the low table when Taeyong arrives. “You’re still up?”

“Mm.” Pausing from what he’s doing, the Omega glances at his mate with a shy smile that tells nothing of the idiocy he pulled earlier. It’s only now that he’s hit full force with guilt as he takes in how tired Taeyong looks. “I wanna go to bed with you so I waited. How’s work?”

“It’s fine.” Returning the smile with a bigger one, the Alpha puts his bag down and kisses the top of Jaehyun’s head before taking a bottled water from the fridge. “Loud, packed. I hate cleaning vomit off the floor but it’ll pay the bills. What are you doing?”

“Drawing.” Jaehyun proudly shows his artwork. “How do the peaches look?”

Taeyong plops down the couch before leaning forward to squint at the drawing. “Cute,” he says with a nod. “They look familiar, though.” His smile reappears when Jaehyun’s head tilts adorably in confusion. “Don’t you think they kind of look like your butt?” As his gaze lands on a furiously blushing Jaehyun, Taeyong can’t help the laugh that tears through him. “God, you’re so cute. You still get shy when I tease you.”

Huffing cutely to cover up his embarrassment, Jaehyun slams the paper on the table. “I wanted to color these and cut them out so I could make a fruit book for Areum. But you tainted it!”

“Sorry, love.” Taeyong’s laughter wanes. “Did you visit Areum again?”

Jaehyun nods before resting his chin on Taeyong’s knee. “Minjun and _ahjumma_ tagged along.” Then, his features morph into the telltale sadness. “The doctor said we should hurry up. Our bills are piling up, too. There are other patients that need to be put in the pediatric ICU and Areum is taking up the space…”

Momentary silence stretches in the limited space of the living room.

“Sorry, I still don’t have a job.”

“Don’t think too much of it, hm?” Taeyong fondly rubs his knuckles on Jaehyun’s rosy cheek before fishing out a pack of triangle _kimbap_ from his bag, waving it before Jaehyun. “Bought this for us. Wanna go on a rooftop date? Don’t expect too much, though. I only got us _kimbap_ and…this bottled water.”

“Everyday can be a date with you.” Quickly getting over his sadness, Jaehyun giggles softly and excitedly tugs Taeyong out.

“Wow,” Jaehyun moans appreciatively as he pushes a stray rice into his mouth. “This is really good. Actually, convenience store _kimbaps_ taste better. Contrary to popular belief that homemade food is superior.”

While the Omega happily eats his food, Taeyong can only helplessly watch him with love dripping from his eyes. Jaehyun can do the most random thing and it will be another reason for Taeyong to fall even more in love with him. “One day, I’ll take you out on a fancy dinner date.”

“Five-star restaurant?”

“Six-star, if possible.” Taeyong then glances up the sprinkled stars in the sky as he pictures their fancy date. “I think you’ll look good in a suit. Well, not a complete suit. Maybe a nice, deep red blazer over a gray shirt. Tight pants, certainly.” He looks at his boyfriend who’s busily munching on the midnight snack and lightly touches Jaehyun’s coconut hair. “I’ll buy a wax tomorrow. You’ll look really good with your hair up.”

“Will you let me dress you up too?”

“Sure. Even _dress me down_ if you’re bold enough to do so.”

Jaehyun glares while angrily biting off some crunchy seaweed.

Unfazed, Taeyong opens the bottled water and hands it to Jaehyun. “Don’t choke.” He says before suddenly pushing himself up. “Wait a sec. Romantic dates won’t be complete without this.”

The Alpha quickly disappears back inside the apartment to retrieve his guitar from under the bed.

When Taeyong returns with the instrument, Jaehyun lights up in excitement and finishes his _kimbap_ with a few gulps of water. “Are you going to play for me again? The last time you did this was like…four months ago! I can still remember it vividly. As if it was yesterday.”

The single strum of Taeyong’s guitar rings into the peaceful evening. “I’m feeling a bit more smitten with you, so I’ll indulge you with a little bit of my impressive singing skills.”

Laughing endearingly, Jaehyun gestures for the other to start.

Taeyong clears his throat as he begins playing the first notes to serenade Jaehyun.

_Tomorrow morning if you wake up_

_And the sun does not appear_

_I will be here_

_  
If in the dark we lose sight of love_

_Hold my hand and have no fear_

_Cause I will be here_

…Why is it like this? Isn’t it supposed to be heart fluttering? But why can’t Jaehyun stop his eyes from watering?

_Tomorrow morning if you wake up_

_And the future is unclear_

_I will be here_

_Just as sure as seasons are made for change_

_Our lifetimes are made for years_

_I will be here_

Taeyong watches the man before him cry in silence as he continues to declare a promise of forever with Jaehyun, no one else but him. Through thick and thin, through the calm and the storm. They will overcome it all together.

_I will be here_

_You can cry on my shoulder_

_When the mirror tells us we’re older_

_I will hold you_

_And I will be here_

_To watch you grow in beauty_

_And tell you all the things you are to me_

_I will be here_

When he finishes the song, Taeyong quickly puts the guitar away to thumb Jaehyun’s tears dry. “Jaehyun, are you tired?” His voice is nothing above a whisper as he pulls Jaehyun in a tight hug, slightly swaying them side to side. “It’s okay. You should lean on me; I like it when you lean on me.” Taeyong’s lips press against the side of Jaehyun’s head, a hand gently patting it. “We’ll always be together, right? During the night, and when the morning comes. We’ll be together. You, me, Areum.”

Jaehyun stays in the warm and reassuring embrace until his sobs subside. By the time he has no more tears left to cry for the night, he comes to a decision – a painful decision he’s not allowed to regret.

“Accept their condition.”

Taeyong stops patting the Omega’s head and pulls away, looking at Jaehyun with unrestrained hurt. “…What?”

“You should go back to Seoul and…and marry her. If that’s going to make them help Areum. Just go and marry her.”

“Jaehyun, what are you–”

He keeps his head low, too scared to see how much he’s breaking Taeyong. “It’s your pride talking. You want to prove them that they can’t control you, but this is not the time to be stubborn. We don’t even have half of the money, yet. When are we going to complete it? It’s okay. We’ll be okay. If my bond mark hurts, I’ll bear with it. As long as Areum is okay. It’s…it’s enough that you loved us for more than a year.”

“We’re mates!” Is this even real? Is this actually happening? Is Jaehyun slipping out of Taeyong’s grasp? “How could you say that?! I can’t leave you. I don’t want to–”

Jaehyun finally looks up, immediately regretting it. Taeyong looks tragic. “Do you think this is easy for me? I love you. I really do. I want to love you more than I love you now – but I want to save Areum! What if her health worsens? What if she dies? Taeyong, our love won’t keep her alive. Be realistic! We need money! Think about _ahjumma_! Think about the others that lost their job. We can’t keep hurting a lot of people just because we don’t want to part, okay?” He gets up and dusts off his shorts. “Go back to Seoul and get married. When you get married, Areum will be healthier. We get to live well. Maybe even better than this. Isn’t that your dream? To give us a good life?”

Taeyong lets Jaehyun leave. For what feels like an eternity of ineffable heartache, he stares into space simply replaying Jaehyun’s words and letting them burrow into his mind. What would he even say against that? He’s been blind all this time, refusing to see that no matter how many jobs he has, they will never escape this kind of life.

All he has is pride and it cannot feed them. It cannot save his daughter.

The Alpha inhales both of their agony in the air before pitifully cleaning up. He goes back to the apartment, following the trail of sullied Tangerine into the bedroom and returns his guitar back in its case before sliding under the covers to spoon his boyfriend.

Jaehyun doesn’t protest against it. It might be the last, so he’ll savor as much as he can.

The fragments of his heart pulverize when he smells soothing Peppermint, but it only scalds him.

The atmosphere sits heavily on Jaehyun’s chest when he wakes up the next day alone in bed. Taeyong’s scent lingers on their pillow and the sheets Jaehyun bunches up to his face. He inhales it until it’s gone, and drags himself out of bed.

Taeyong is nowhere to be found when he exits the bedroom. Not even in the bathroom when Jaehyun checks, and certainly not on the rooftop.

When the Omega goes back inside and finds himself standing in the middle of the living room without the giggles of his daughter and the caress of his mate, Jaehyun sighs, slow and agonizing.

 _It’s for the best,_ he thinks to himself as he walks over to the stove to start cooking. Sunny side up eggs and bacon. The first breakfast he made for Taeyong.

Jaehyun chuckles drearily when a drop of tear lands on the spatula he’s holding. No one is going to eat with him anymore. No one is going to greet him with energizing kisses. No one is going to tease him. No one is going to tell him how beautiful he is, how perfect he is despite the flaws. No one is going make him feel loved. No one is going to hold him when he sleeps.

Because he pushed Taeyong away. Because he pushed away the only person willing to choose him regardless of his social status.

Just what happened to being together when the morning comes?

Yujin enters the café and immediately spots the man waiting for her, sipping coffee in a paper cup. How can she miss him when he looks so out of place with that dreary figure? Her stilettos clack on the floor as she saunters to Taeyong, and settles on the seat across him. Yujin puts her purse on the table. “I don’t know what’s more interesting. You, who came from a wealthy family, drink a coffee worth a dollar or you, who despise me with every fiber of his being, have my contact number.”

The woman before him is still as condescending as ever. She’s everything a privileged Alpha defines. “I opened our old chatroom. In my defense, I rarely open the app and I have you muted anyway, so I didn’t care to delete it.”

“So why did you go straight to me? I know about the reunion with your parents. I don’t believe you’re going to marry me.”

“Because I won’t.”

She huffs irritatedly. The sight of that cheap cup in Taeyong’s hand makes her uncomfortable. “I’m not even going to persuade you. For your information, I’ve had a lot of realizations for the past year and whether or not I want to admit it, I agree with you. Marrying you will only benefit my parents. I will never be happy being tied down to someone who won’t love me. Can you imagine it? Wedding rings left in the bathroom sink, worse flushed down the toilet. Sleeping in different rooms, brushing past each other seven days a week without exchanging a single word. And the children they want me to risk my life for? I might just buy one from a grappling mother. It’s beyond despairing.”

Taeyong puts the paper cup down. “I don’t even want to imagine it. I don’t even want to think of anybody other than my mate.” He ignores the way she scoffs, like the sound of him proclaiming his everlasting loyalty is the most disgusting thing to hear. “Help me convince our parents that we don’t need to get married to seal their partnership, especially to help my daughter.”

“…Help your daughter?”

“Didn’t they tell you about the part that marrying you is what I need to do in exchange of my parents paying for my daughter’s heart surgery? I don’t have enough money, Yujin. She’s been in the hospital for a while and we cannot give them the go signal because we’re financially inadequate. My daughter might…I might lose her if the surgery doesn’t happen anytime soon.”

That cracks her icy heart. “I didn’t know that. They didn’t tell me. You really fell for that Omega, huh? How is he?” Yujin asks, surprisingly concerned.

“We’re falling apart.” It pains Taeyong to recall what happened last night. “He thinks I went here to agree to marrying you.”

Yujin takes a moment to realize the gravity of Taeyong’s situation. “Taeyong, I know my parents. If I cry hard enough, they might listen to me. I don’t know about yours.”

“My father also forcefully closed the restaurant I was working at and involved a lot more of the residents in the village. Unless you want to pay for the surgery, as well as buy the property back, then we don’t need to talk to them.”

“Wow, daylight extortion, I see. When are we doing this?”

Taeyong straightens. Who would’ve thought that it’d be this easy to deal with Han Yujin? “Today. I don’t have much time…”

Brows furrowing in annoyance, Yujin fishes out her phone and quickly texts her parents. “There. Told them we’re together right now and we will meet them. Good enough?”

“Thank you…”

A sigh leaves her and Yujin takes a few bills out of her bag. “You should’ve gone to a bar. At least I’d be buzzed enough to do this with you.”

Both of their parents are already inside the private office in the mansion, clearly anticipating what they think is a favorable announcement.

“I knew you’d be back eventually,” Taeyong’s father says as soon as his son and Yujin are present, and turns to the woman’s parents without even letting their children speak. “Shall we start discussing the da–”

“With all due respect, sir. We’re here for a different reason.”

“Yujin? Honey, what are you saying?”

She spares Taeyong a curt, sidelong glance. “I don’t wish to marry him. What changed? I just started seeing things logically. Our families can continue the business partnership without us getting married. Honestly, fixed marriages are so unnecessary. Who’s running the business anyway? Me? Taeyong? We’re just going to represent you, who still have actual control. Just sign a contract, settle your trust issues and leave us alone.” Yujin cannot resist frowning at her overreacting parents. “I will take over the company in the future, but you don’t need me for this business. Trust me. It isn’t even a merger.”

Mr. Lee glares at his son, teeth gritting. “What did you tell her?”

“The whole thing,” Taeyong says. “Why you won’t save my daughter, why you forcefully closed the restaurants in _Guryongpo-ri._ I know you’re the one who did that. I’m sorry it took me awhile to return, and I’m sorry I didn’t return to accept your condition.”

“This is ridiculous,” Mr. Lee looks away in both astonishment and humiliation from making his potential business partners witness this. “Being so adamant is the reason why that kid is suffering.”

“Sir–” Yujin chimes in and bristles at her parents’ attempt to calm her down. The way Taeyong’s merciless father acts towards an innocent child incites her, takes away what bit of respect she has. “Why?! What’s so important in this business deal that you’re choosing not to help a child in need?! Are you not listening to your son? How are you so intelligent but apathetic to this situation? Taeyong badly needs to pay for hospital bills. Hospital bills!” Rapidly, she loses composure brought by sheer frustration. “He’s not buying a goddamn island! He wants to pay for his sick daughter’s surgery!”

“Han Yujin!” Her father shouts. “Why are you acting like this?!”

“Because I might not be a parent but I don’t want to see any of these kids dying?”

Taeyong remains silent, faraway gaze pinned on the floor as anger spurs Yujin.

“Do you want her to die? Do you want his child to die? Your refusal to help is going to kill her, not his refusal to marry me. God – he has a mate! Will your conscience allow you to sleep at night and bear with the fact that you’re going to let his kid die? Your grandchild?”

“She’s not a part of this family. I don’t ever want to–”

The elder Lee halts when Taeyong gets on his knees on the floor just as the latter’s tears hit the crimson carpet.

Mrs. Lee calls for him. “Taeyong, what are you doing…? Get up,” she says, failing to wrap her head around what’s unfolding right before her eyes. Her son, kneeling to beg? Crying? Taeyong never once cried so hard his body is wracked with painful sobs. And the sound of his cries…it goes straight to her heart, wringing it.

What have they done to him?

“Please help me. I don’t want to lose my baby. Dad, come on. What do you want me to do? Mom?” His voice cracks as all the bottled-up frustration, anger, and hopelessness fizzle out and explode into tears. “Please. I don’t…I don’t want to bury my baby. Will you please listen to me, just for once?” Taeyong rubs his hands together as he peers up at his incredulous parents through a thick blur in vision. “Dad, Areum can’t die this early. She’s only one year old. She needs to grow old and do everything she wants. I wanna continue coming home to a complete family, I wanna drop her off on her first day of school. I wanna see her get that degree and travel the world. I want to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.”

The whole room listens to his broken weeps. “Don’t you get it? Mom, dad, aren’t you happy for me? I have my own family now. I’m really, really happy, but I won’t be if I lose them. What should I do…? I’d walk on fire and broken glasses if you want me to. I’ll do anything, _anything,_ just please don’t break my family apart.” Taeyong reaches for his father and buries his face on the man’s side, hot tears wetting Mr. Lee’s suit. His please are muffled but they ring with incredible clarity. “ _Please,_ please… Don’t do this to me. Please don’t do this to my daughter…”

His heart-wrenching sobs resonate within the office, bouncing off the unfeeling walls to settle in each of them. Their previous vexation is suddenly replaced with utter sympathy for the pitiful Alpha on the floor, and Yujin finally looks away to quickly wipe her eyes dry.

“I’m so tired, dad. I’m so¸ _so,_ tired. No matter how much I work, it’s not enough. Please help us. I don’t know what to do anymore…”

“Please excuse us,” the Hans then quietly leave the office, with Yujin looking at Taeyong over her shoulder until they disappear.

Mr. Lee grabs his son’s hands. “Let go,” he says, tone less aggressive but detached as he pries out of Taeyong’s hold and walks away without sparing him another glance even after Taeyong loses balance and falls on his front trying to hold on.

“Mom…”

Still stupefied by her son’s crumble and the belated, guilt-stricken realizations playing in her mind, she merely looks at him and follows the trail of her husband’s steps, leaving Taeyong alone to pick up his broken pieces.

Haseon cannot swallow her food. Not with the constant throbbing in her chest as the cries of her son persistently haunt her even after hours already went by. She cancelled commitments to say at home with her husband because thoughts of Taeyong would merely distract her. How bold of her to think that not leaving the mansion would alleviate her guilt, when she hears his sobs and pleas wherever she goes.

Even now, as they dine in rigid silence, Haseon hears not the clank of utensils but the shattering of her son’s hope.

How did they come to this? How did she come to this? She was once so loving, so supportive. When did she stop being a mother? When he couldn’t please them anymore? When he stopped being the son she would show off to others?

Why did she allow herself to be the last person he’d reach out to when things get rough? She was supposed to be there, to be his pillar, to tell him to do what makes him happy. His wish was so simple, for them to let him decide for himself, to let him find his own mate. Why did she become so controlling, so obsessed with fixing him when he wasn’t broken? And now, when he actually is, she only stepped on him even more.

When did they stop being a family?

Haseon sips her juice and gets up. “I’m full,” she takes note of her husband’s tensed shoulders and heads out to get some fresh evening air. Staying inside feels like running out of oxygen. She starts making way to the plant box at the side, filled with the season’s flowers blooming radiantly, and stops as soon as she glimpses a hunched figure just outside the gates.

She has no idea when Taeyong left the office. Seeing him right now curled up outside like a homeless street dweller when he has all the right to step inside the mansion spurs Haseon into opening the gates before crouching to pull her son into a hug.

Taeyong has been trying to rest, hoping to catch his father the next day when he’s stirred out of sleep. The homey scent of cinnamon fills him and Taeyong quickly latches on to his mother in silence.

“It’s so cold, Taeyong.” Haseon says, rubbing her son’s back. Guilt eats her up as she recalls the way she treated him last time, so condescending and disparaging. She can’t believe it. No, she can’t be like that anymore. “Why are you sleeping outside?”

“Mom… Please help me…”

Haseon wordlessly nods and pulls him to stand. “Come in. You must be hungry.” Holding his hand, she leads him back inside and into the dining room where her husband is still eating, and pulls the seat across the latter for her son.

Taeyong looks between his parents before sitting down, uncertain as to how things will go this time. His mother sits next to him as she gestures for a helper to serve him dinner.

His stomach rumbles when a full plate of hot food is placed in front of him. Taeyong glances up at his father who hasn’t looked away from his own plate and finally digs in, reveling in the sudden comfort of his mother’s hand on his back. Is it really possible for her to have a change of heart now?

“Tell me.”

Startled by his father’s voice, Taeyong puts his spoon down and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

Mr. Lee inscrutable gaze lands on his son. “How did you live there…? For three years, after being so used to your lifestyle here.”

“I,” Taeyong looks at his mother to ask if it’s okay to speak, to ask if _this_ is okay, if they won’t end up fighting, and sighs when she encourages him with a single nod. “ _Guryongpo_ is not bad. I was lost for a few days, of course, because I didn’t know anyone. I had no place to stay, not enough money to sleep in a hotel since…since you blocked everything. Employers are wary of me. My cards, my accounts, even my insurance was disabled. It would’ve helped a lot.”

He gathers his thoughts within a short pause, wanting to choose the right words to say for they might thaw the ice in his father’s heart. “Well, there’s this old lady who gave me a job and helped me find a small apartment. Without her I’d go crazy. It hurts me that she’s suffering too, because she lost the restaurant.”

Mr. Lee doesn’t seem fazed.

“Things were dull but it was fine. I had a job at the restaurant that paid enough to put eggs and vegetables in my fridge. My place is so small you’d feel suffocated at first. But I like it. I fell in love with it ‘cause I felt free. I fell in love with _Guryongpo,_ and I fell in love with someone when I least expected to. Like I said he was already pregnant when we met. Jaehyun left his home because things were fucked up. I saved him from what could’ve been another misfortune. Literally found out he was pregnant the next day but he didn’t tell me, scared I’d kick him out. So I pretended not to know even though I started buying him healthy food because he shouldn’t eat crabs and eggs all the time. The pup needed proper nutrition. Let him work for a while so he could earn his own money.”

Taeyong doesn’t notice that a small smile has already creeped its way on his face while reminiscing how he and Jaehyun got together. “Didn’t even realize I was already in too deep until I woke up one day wanting to wake up next to him for the rest of my life. I am so crazy about him that I scented him even though we were strangers. And when we both confessed, it was probably one of the best days since, alongside finally being mates and Areum finally coming into our lives. Carrying my daughter made me think that _this,_ this is something I will never trade for the world. I’ll work myself to the bone just to give them a good life.”

His eyes sting once again as he looks into his father’s eyes which are now an open window to his gradually changing perspective. “I love my family so much, dad. You probably felt the same way when mom gave birth to me. All the joy you felt, I felt it too. You must’ve been proud of me once watching me grow. I want to be proud of Areum too. Please, let me be a father for a long, long time.”

Mr. Lee, while listening to his son’s story, takes time to reevaluate all that happened since Taeyong’s disappearance. Reevaluates his decisions as a father, and the worth of making him suffer while fulfilling their wishes. He had been obdurate. Even when he stood his ground after saying he wouldn’t help the child, he knew how cruel he was being just to protect his own ego, because he couldn’t accept that Taeyong didn’t want what they wanted for him. So many people are hurting just to please him.

Sighing heavily, he leaves his seat to fill a glass of juice on the kitchen island. “Take me to her.”

Taeyong blinks a few times. “To… To Areum?”

“We haven’t been good parents to you, but the child deserves better. Take your mother and I to _Guryongpo._ I want to meet Jaehyun as well. I will settle things with the Hans so don’t think about that anymore. And the property _,_ I’m giving it back to the owners. But promise me one thing.”

“…What is it?”

“You will take over some businesses since they’re getting too much for me. You need a stable income to take care of your family.”

Taeyong swears his heart soars. “I promise.”

“Good. My granddaughter shouldn’t live so poorly.” Mr. Lee says and places the glass of juice in front of Taeyong, hoping that they’re not too late to redeem themselves.

The Lees cancel their work before flying to _Pohang_ the next day. Taeyong sits shotgun in the cab on the way to _Guryongpo-ri,_ discussing plans about relocating to Seoul.

“Just pull over there,” Taeyong tells the driver before handing him the fare, dismissing his mother’s offer to pay. “It’s narrow further down and the cab won’t get through. I’ll lead the way.”

They get off the cab and Taeyong walks ahead of his parents. It’s a little past 8am, some residents of the village are up and about to start the day.

“This is my first time in _Pohang._ It feels somewhat Japanese?”

“Nostalgic, isn’t it?” Taeyong takes a look behind to see his parents appraising the houses. “Even though we didn’t exist that time yet.” He continues walking, passing by the closed restaurant until they reach his street. “That’s where I live,” he says, pointing. “Above that humble bakery.”

“Oh,” Haseon squints as they near the place. “Then you can buy some bread whenever you want.”

“I can. Jaehyun likes bread. It’s practically in every meal when he was carrying. Be careful with the steps…” Taeyong says as he starts climbing to the second floor, listening to his mother complain.

“Goodness gracious. How could he climb up and down by himself when he was pregnant? Isn’t this dangerous?” She accepts her husband’s help, mumbling under her breath about the old, rusty staircase.

Taeyong shrugs. “Relax, mom.” He stops before the front door for a moment to wait for his parents, heart thudding a little faster. It’s still early so Jaehyun won’t be away to visit Areum yet. Hopefully, the Omega is inside. He finally pushes the door open and lets his parents in before approaching the closed, bedroom door. Before he can grab the knob, it is pulled open by none other than Jaehyun himself, who’s staring at him wide eyed.

“Taeyong…?” The Omega asks in disbelief. “Why are you…?” He glances at the unfamiliar people behind his mate. “Who…?” Why is Taeyong standing right in front of him? Isn’t the Alpha supposed to be in Seoul to work on his wedding? Or is he going to just hand him the money for Areum’s surgery then say goodbye?

Taeyong cups Jaehyun’s cheeks and kisses his forehead. “I can hear your thoughts loud and clear. Jaehyun, I’m not going to leave you and Areum. Never. Stop pushing me away, alright? Don’t cry…” He swiftly thumbs the lone tear about to fall from the corner of Jaehyun’s eye.

 _Taeyong is not leaving…? He’s not going to marry someone else_? Jaehyun’s inner voice demand answers as he clutches the front of Taeyong’s shirt, sniffling loudly. “Really…? You’re not gonna marry her?”

“No, silly. I only love you.”

“Taeyong…” Jaehyun buries his face on the Alpha’s neck, inhaling his favorite Peppermint as much as he can. “I’m sorry, so, so sorry. I love you. That was so stupid of me. Please don’t leave…”

The Alpha sighs and presses a kiss on the back of Jaehyun’s ear. “I made you think I was leaving, that was a mistake on my part. Should’ve left you a note.” Taeyong gently pulls away. “Mom and dad want to meet you. They’ll help us.”

“Really? Don’t you…don’t you hate me?”

Haseon quickly grabs Jaehyun’s hands. Her heart breaks just a little to see the poor, fearful Omega. “We are so sorry for hurting you and your baby. I’m sorry, Jaehyun. Being here makes me feel so ashamed of my actions…”

Jaehyun looks at their hands worriedly. “You’re gonna help Areum, right…?”

“We will.” Mr. Lee blinks a few times when Taeyong’s mate starts tearing up again. How much did they hurt this poor man for him to keep crying every second?

“I prayed so hard for this. Thank you so much...”

“Don’t thank us. We should’ve done this earlier.” Mr. Lee huffs. “I’m very sorry. We caused you so much pain.”

Jaehyun shakes his head, withdrawing his hands from Mrs. Lee’s hold to wipe at his eyes. “Can we please not dwell on it anymore? Tomorrow… I think seeing Areum will matter more than the apologies.”

“Very well. We have a lot to catch up on, Jaehyun. Get familiar. You are family; you and Areum.”

One of Taeyong’s arms wraps around Jaehyun’s waist, rubbing the Omega’s side. “I didn’t tell _ahjumma_ anything, dad. Let’s just surprise them with the reopening of the stores.”

“In an hour, I’ll have a meeting with the mayor. Rest assured that she will have her restaurant back before the day ends.”

“I can’t believe this–I’m so happy!” Jaehyun exclaims adorably. This must be a very nice dream. One second, they literally have nothing and the next, they are showered by blessings. He momentarily revels in it before letting out a soft gasp as he looks at Taeyong’s parents. “A-are you tired? I don’t think the apartment is big enough for four of us, Mrs…?”

Haseon shakes her head with a small smile. “We booked a hotel room nearby. And Jaehyun, we discussed this on the way, but we will pay for Areum’s bills so the hospital can discharge her later.”

“Discharge her? But the surgery….”

“There are more excellent hospitals in Seoul,” Mr. Lee says. “My connections will ensure she receives the best treatment. Once she gets discharged, we can transfer her right away and schedule her surgery there. That means your family will be staying in Seoul from thereon.”

Taeyong gently sifts his fingers through Jaehyun’s hair, releasing calming pheromones as he senses the Omega’s nervousness. “I’m gonna start working in the company. Give you the best life, remember? Do you want to live in Seoul?”

Jaehyun nods, tightly hugging his mate. _His heart is so, so full!_ “Anywhere as long as we’re with you.”

“And Jaehyun? You can call us mom and dad.”

When Mr. Lee comes back from the meeting and Taeyong properly resigns from his job in _Yeonil-eup_ , they all head to the hospital to settle Areum’s bills. Jaehyun winces visibly after Taeyong’s parents decide to pay full rather than the package on their receipt. The hospital also decides to discharge Areum in the afternoon, once transportation arrangement to Seoul is finalized. When the first visiting period is over, Taeyong lets his parents head to the hotel before he and Jaehyun drop by at _ahjumma’_ s apartment.

It turns out that they have been notified already about the tycoon’s decision to rescind previous demolition plans, and to their surprise, the generous amount that will be given to each owner that was troubled by the sudden closing of their stores.

“Thank god they changed their mind! It was so wrong in the first place – maybe they realized how cruel it was to snatch away our simple livelihood,” _Ahjumma_ marvels at the wonderful turn of events. “I’d be able to renovate the restaurant to accommodate more customers. You’ll get your jobs back…”

The couple exchanges look before Taeyong takes _ahjumma_ ’s hand. “I’m afraid we won’t be able to work for you anymore, _ahjumma._ I went back to my parents yesterday and miraculously convinced them to help us. So… we’re transferring Areum to a bigger hospital in Seoul later. My family will stay there for good.”

“What…?” The old lady looks sad for a moment before pulling them in a warm hug. “That’s good, that’s good! You know that’s what I want the most for you two anyway. To live a better life. Oh my,” she pulls away and wipes at her eyes, smiling bright. “Areum will finally get better. I’ll miss your family so much. Taeyong, my son, I’ll miss you so much.”

The Alpha takes his second mother in a loving embrace filled with gratitude for everything she did for him and his family. _Ahjumma_ cries for a while, and releases Taeyong with a joyous laugh.

“I wish the best for your restaurant, _ahjumma._ When things become stable in Seoul, I’ll visit you. I owe you a lot…”

The woman fondly cups his cheeks and pulls Jaehyun closer. “You helped me a lot too, Taeyong. And you, Jaehyun. Don’t worry about me. It’s time for you two to be happy and live well. I’m not going to cry again, but you might wanna inform Minjun! That guy tries so hard to act nonchalant but he might even wail when he hears you’re not coming back anymore.”

Giggling, Jaehyun lays out his palm for Taeyong’s phone so he can text the Beta. “I don’t think he’ll be that sad…”

Wrong. The second Minjun barges inside _ahjumma_ ’s apartment still wearing his work uniform and helmet, he barrels into the couple bawling his eyes out, wailing about losing two of his best friends.

“Why leave when I just decided to be friends with Jaehyun for real?!” Minjun dramatically falls on the floor, hugging their legs. “Don’t leave me! All my other friends don’t compare to you! Try to walk out of this house and I will cry even harder. I dare you.”

In the end, the Beta is forced to stop crying when Taeyong threatens to call the cops on him for disturbing the neighbors.

Areum is ready to be transferred. Taeyong and Jaehyun begin packing whatever stuff they want to bring to Seoul. All of their clothes, a few mementos. They don’t need the furniture anymore since they will have even better ones in the mansion.

As the Alpha zips another bag close, he takes a look around the small space that served as his home for three years. The apartment that saw him at his worst. The apartment that witnessed how he matured. He will never forget this. This is where he started a family. All the love they made in here, the comfort it granted, Taeyong will remember them.

He will remember _Guryongpo-ri_ and all the beautiful things it gave him.

“Ready to go?”

Taeyong nods, helps Jaehyun carry most of the bag downstairs and puts them in the awaiting cab. He then glances at his little home above the bakery one last time.

“Thank you. For everything.”

Arriving in Seoul sees them making sure that Areum is settled in the new hospital, and letting the doctors review her case before getting the final schedule of her surgery, which will happen in three days. With an assurance that they will do their best to fix the defect in her heart, the doctor leaves them in the private room.

“Taeyong, your mother and I will go back first.”

“Alright. Please get some rest. Thank you for helping my daughter…”

Mr. Lee shakes his head before patting his son’s shoulder. “You don’t need to thank me for doing the right thing that I should’ve done sooner.”

After reminding his parents to ask the maids to leave their stuff in his room, Taeyong quickly holds his baby girl’s hand and kisses it. Even though asleep, Areum’s fingers curl against his index tight as though saying she misses him.

Jaehyun carefully brushes her hair. “Baby, after the surgery, you’ll stay here for maybe two weeks before we’re allowed to take you home. And then it’ll take a month or two for you to fully recover. Be good to the doctors and nurses, okay? Dada and papa will stay in your room to take care of you. We’ll eat and sleep here sometimes so you won’t be alone. But for tonight, we need to go to papa’s house first to fix our stuff.”

“Papa’s house? That’s your house, too.” Taeyong playfully pokes Jaehyun’s cheek. “It’s a mansion, Jaehyun. You’ll like it there.”

“Is it really pretty?”

“Mm. It has a lot of rooms, a garden, home theater, and a pool. The bathrooms are huge. We got tubs where you can soak in.”

It is indeed a very nice house. But it doesn’t matter where they live, because Jaehyun will like it as long as he’s with his family. A house is just a house, but a home is anywhere they are.

They are wracked with anxiety on the day of Areum’s surgery. During the three hours she’s under the knife, Taeyong consistently calms Jaehyun with hugs and some kisses on his face, anything to distract him from overthinking.

And as soon as the team in-charge for her operation delivers the good news of a successful surgery, Jaehyun and Taeyong are instantly relieved of the worry they’ve been plagued with since the first day she was confined. Her grandparents are glad to hear she fought well.

Areum is wheeled later on to the ICU where she will spend several days to be monitored until she’s allowed to go home. So many reminders are given to the parents with regards to caring for her over the next two weeks since it’ll be a critical point of recovery. Jaehyun diligently takes note of everything, and indulges himself with a few hours next to his baby as he finishes making the fruit book.

“Ta-dah,” the Omega gleefully says as he shows the fruit book to Areum. She’s awake at the moment, just finished feeding and somehow, not sleepy enough to go back to dreamland. The wound on her chest has been irritating her, hence the sudden tantrum. “Do you like it, baby? I drew a lot of fruits. Here’s an apple, a banana, kiwi, grapes, mango. I put the names under each picture so we can practice reading them. Oh, I should teach you the ABCs first.”

Taeyong suppresses a smile while watching his beloved mate pout after realizing their baby’s too young to learn how to read. “Don’t be so excited, Jaehyun. You’re going to make her grow up fast and the next thing we know, she’s bringing home all these medals and certificates.”

“Aren’t you the excited one?”

“Yes, I’m excited.” The Alpha tips Jaehyun’s face and presses a sweet kiss on his lips. “But let’s cherish every moment for now, because I heard teenagers are going to be one hell of a pain in the ass.”

“She better not be, ‘cause we’re going to teach her well.”

“She’ll be a good person, I know.” Nosing over Jaehyun’s exposed neck, Taeyong mumbles. “Let’s update her birth certificate once all is well.”

Suddenly, Jaehyun’s face burns. Thinking about putting Taeyong’s name on Areum’s birth certificate makes him feel warm all over. “Okay. When will you start working?”

“Dad expects to see me at the company when Areum goes home. He said I only need to be there thrice a week, so I can take care of Areum with you. But only until she’s fully recovered, because I need to handle _a lot_ of stuff.”

“That’s great. Do you like what you’re gonna do there?”

Taeyong hums. “I only took Business because of the company. There’s nothing specific that interests me, to be honest. But our perspectives always change depending on what happens everyday. This may not be my passion, but I know I’m going to like it. Because I’m doing it for you and Areum.”

There really is no one who’ll be better than this man next to him. Jaehyun interlocks their fingers as Areum blabbers a sleepy _papa_ and _dada._ “I’m proud of you.”

“Dad wants you to work at the company too.”

“…Eh?”

“Once Areum gets well enough to be brought outside, we can bring her to the company. There’s a little children’s room there for employees who cannot leave their kids at home and they will be watched over by professionals. It’s an offer, Jaehyun. You can think about it and decide whether or not you want–”

“I’ll take it!” Jaehyun interrupts eagerly. “I’ll take it. Will they train me?”

Taeyong smiles, rubbing the back of his hand on Jaehyun’s cheek. “Yes. I’m sure it’ll be some secretarial duty. Very easy, you’ll nail it in no time.”

At this point, the Omega has nothing more to say on how lucky he got meeting Taeyong. Who would’ve expected that he, an orphan without proper education on top of being an Omega will be able to work in a corporate office?

His happiness expresses through a deep kiss, and Taeyong is happy to return it while Areum gurgles against her spit-covered fist.

Both Jaehyun and Taeyong are hands-on in helping Areum get well for the next two months. They strictly follow the rules on restricting activities, what to feed her, how to carry her and give her a bath, as well as proper wound care. Checkups are done to ensure she’s recovering perfectly.

When the third month hits and she’s allowed to be brought outside, Jaehyun officially joins the company to train as Taeyong’s secretary. The second she sees who her boss is, the Omega’s face decides to embarrass him by resembling a tomato. How could he not, when as soon as his trainer leaves the couple alone in the office, Taeyong launches at him and pins him on the desk, kissing the daylights out of Jaehyun.

It has something to do with him in a suit, and side swept hair. Jaehyun guesses his coconut hair can never provoke the Alpha as much as this hairstyle does.

He deeply hopes he’ll be able to do his job well with this kind of work environment.

Haseon raises the idea of celebrating Areum’s successful heart surgery during a family dinner. “It’s a must, you know? Plus, we missed her first birthday party. Let this be a belated first birthday celebration, a successful surgery celebration, and an advance second birthday celebration. You’d like that, right princess?” The delighted grandmother feeds her giggling grandchild a small chunk of banana.

“That would be great,” Taeyong agrees before turning to Jaehyun. “Should we have it in _Guryongpo-ri?_ At _ahjumma’_ s restaurant? It’s been a while and we haven’t visited her yet.”

The Alpha’s parents exchange knowing looks as Jaehyun cluelessly nods at their son’s wonderful idea.

“Excellent,” Taeyong grins and shovels a spoonful of dessert in his mouth, mentally patting himself for doing a good job keeping Jaehyun out of the loop.

The celebration takes place in _ahjumma_ ’s renovated restaurant. The space is bigger now, extending to the previously vacant lot behind. Their neighbors are invited to the party to see Areum. And to completely express his gratitude for the help they did when the family was scouring for money, Taeyong makes sure that each household in the village are able to get free food delivery coming straight from _ahjumma’_ s restaurant.

Jaehyun and Taeyong don’t pass up on the chance to relive their old job as the couple volunteers being the servers for the day. Wearing their old aprons over some classy dress shirt and blazer arouses teasing from an oddly rowdy Minjun who occasionally receives scandalized looks from the Lees. The elders are certainly experiencing a mild culture shock surrounded by villagers.

Done with his lunch and currently standing by the counter in case someone requests for more servings, Jaehyun contentedly watches everyone. Taeyong is talking to _ahjumma_ on one side, carrying a chatty Areum in his arms. He can’t help the giggle that escapes him when he chances a look at his boyfriend’s parents who are struggling to eat the marinated crabs with bare hands yet are obviously enjoying it.

Things are going well, and life has become kinder to him now.

Except for the Beta’s constant squinting on his way. It reminds Jaehyun of their first conversation. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Jaehyun asks when Minjun props an elbow on the counter to cup his chin, giving him what could be the 76th once-over.

“Like what?”

“Like I spat in your Caramel Macchiato.”

“Woah,” Brows shooting up in awe, Minjun straightens and rests a hand on his hip. “You even talk like a city boy now. No one drinks Caramel Macchiato in this village, Jaehyun. We only have instant coffee from sachets. It just amazes me how different you look after moving to Seoul.” Shamelessly, he leans in to sniff the Omega’s shoulder. “You smell expensive, too. Definitely the work of a rich mate.”

“Everything I have now is because of Taeyong,” Jaehyun dusts off his shoulder, earning an offended ‘hey!’ from Minjun. “But I also work for some of the things I own. Like this blazer! I bought it last week from my secretary salary.”

The Beta whistles. “The epitome of rugs to riches. I’m happy for you. But you know what’s going to make me happier? If you take me to Seoul and hire me too.”

“You should prepare a nice resumé and I can pass it to his dad. We’re currently not hiring, though.”

“Uh, you’re so useless.” Minjun scoffs before his attention gravitates towards the unfamiliar woman sitting alone in one of the tables, glaring as she rapidly types on the phone. “Who’s that pretty lady?”

Jaehyun follows the other’s line of sight. “Oh, it’s Han Yujin.”

“The almost wife?” Minjun asks while his gaze shifts between the woman and Jaehyun. “From a heterosexual perspective, of course I’d go for her. But you’re really good looking, Jaehyun. So good looking you’d turn a straight man gay. Except for me! What is she doing here, though? No bad blood between families?”

“No. They’re going to continue the business, and she’ll be working with Taeyong.” The Omega slightly flinches when Yujin catches him looking. His poor act of imitating a duck with his pouted lips while scanning the room only makes Yujin scoff at him. That woman never fails to be intimidating.

Minjun’s curiosity morphs into fascination. “They’re probably getting along if he invited her here.” Fixing his hair, he mentally prepares classic pick-up lines to tell the woman. “Alright, wish me luck.”

“ _Oh,_ ” Jaehyun grins. “Do you best!”

But before Minjun can even take a step forward, they’re all alerted by Taeyong clearing his throat as he hands Areum to _ahjumma._

“Um, can everyone look here for a second? I just want to do something first. It’s been a long time coming and I feel like now is the perfect chance to do this while celebrating my daughter’s ongoing recovery.”

Taeyong rubs his palms down the front of his dress shirt in nervousness, casting a quick glance at a confused Jaehyun. Seeing his beloved’s face gives him a bout of anxiety. He sincerely hopes that he won’t mess this up with an out of the blue stuttering or being the first one to cry even before popping _the_ question.

“First of all, thank you for coming here. Moving back to Seoul certainly made me miss everything about _Guryongpo,_ especially this village. The simple lifestyle, the memories that I’ll cherish for a long time. We are happy in Seoul and this would be grand if I did it there but for this special day, I really wanted it to happen here. _Guryongpo_ holds a special place in my heart for all the good reasons, and I want to add another one today.”

The Alpha looks at his father for a quick boost of confidence and proceeds to go down on one knee before Jaehyun, holding a small velvet box. His act evokes surprised gasps, but the only one he looks forward to is his Omega’s reaction, and Taeyong is right. It’s just as expected – The way Jaehyun’s eyes immediately glaze over threatens to make his heart burst.

Clutching the box in one hand, Taeyong continues. “Jaehyun, I think you know how you turned my life upside down when we met. And I mean it in a good way. I’m really glad you came into my life and loved me back, even gave me a very beautiful daughter. You… You’re why I’ve become a hopeless romantic. You’re that person I waited for. I wouldn’t want to go through these challenges and rejoice victories with anyone else. It was you yesterday, it is you today, and I want it to still be you for endless tomorrows.” Taeyong opens the box, showing a silver diamond ring. “Will you be willing to take it to the next step with me?”

Jaehyun looks at the dazzling ring. It sparkles with the certainty of their future. Suddenly, a flurry of images flicker across his mind as the obvious answer to Taeyong’s question echoes louder and louder. So many of these images are of him and Taeyong with a few kids. He wishes to give Areum siblings – maybe two, or three, as many as they can. The more, the merrier. Jaehyun wants to take care of them all.

“Yes,” he says, sounding a little winded. When Taeyong slips the ring on his finger, Jaehyun gives up on fighting the tears and lets go, burying his face on the Alpha’s chest to cry in overwhelming happiness.

“I love you.” Taeyong whispers into the Omega’s ear so that Jaehyun will be the only one to hear of his lasting love amongst loud cheers. “Too much, Jaehyun. Too much.”

Jaehyun only cries harder, shaky hands gripping the back of Taeyong’s dress shirt. He wants to say it back, only that his sobs keep getting in the way. But even though, he knows that Taeyong knows of his love, feels them without the need for verbal assurance.

They have all the time in the world. They don’t need to worry.

 _This,_ Jaehyun thinks, is just the beginning of infinite paradise.

Suffice to say, the next couple of months are eventful. Areum’s checkups, Jaehyun doing a lot more than answering calls and fixing calendars, updating their daughter’s birth certificate and last but certainly not the least, is the Omega’s second heat of the year suddenly hitting him out of nowhere in the middle of taking a hot shower, one chilly December night.

A panicking Taeyong asks his mother to take care of Areum for a while, only to call him if it’s necessary. Necessary basically means all that Haseon needs to do for Areum and knowing that she’ll end up bombarding him with questions, Taeyong prints detailed reminders and gives everyone in the mansion their own copy, even the maids. He can still look after his daughter maybe once a day, but a Jeong Jaehyun in heat is overly demanding, clingy, will not think twice to chain him to bed when push comes to shove.

…That’s what literally happens come the third day. Taeyong overworks his brain trying to figure out how in the world Jaehyun gets ahold of an ominous looking chain. And the answer only graces him after the second round of vigorous lovemaking, when the Alpha’s sated but exhausted from constantly making Jaehyun feel good. Taeyong sees a paper sticking out from the drawer.

Apparently, his husband-to-be learned how to shop online and the kinky chain is just the first of many deliveries to come, which are all along the lines of spicing up their sex life.

And Jaehyun has the audacity to call him perverted? The Omega will deny it without batting an eye if Taeyong throws the word back at him.

The Alpha is not complaining, though. No, never. He’s benefitting from this. Even though it’s tiring, he loves making Jaehyun feel good. It’s literally his duty to fuck Jaehyun senseless, to set his body in flames with pleasure ‘til the Omega’s brain registers nothing but the swollen knot plugging Taeyong’s essence inside, shot deep to guarantee Jaehyun a belly full of pups sooner or later.

Tangerine is like ecstasy to Taeyong during the five days of Jaehyun’s heat. It fills their room so thick and intoxicating. Once or Twice it’s not the Omega that lulls for another round, because Taeyong is hard more often than not. The call of sex is a temptation he doesn’t want to fight.

On the fifth day, as Taeyong lies on his back in bed buried deep in the hot clutch of Jaehyun’s ass, a pained yet satisfied moan tears out of him when the Omega bites down the side of his neck, leaving a bond mark, owning him. It’s not necessary for the both of them to have a mark but it’s always a welcome possessiveness, especially that Jaehyun has gotten more confident in letting people know that Taeyong is his and only his.

Taeyong will never cover up the scar. Let them see he’s mated, let them see he’s Jaehyun’s.

And so what if anyone catches them making out in the office? Let them watch. It’s not like it’ll be the first time.

It happens three weeks later.

Taeyong is woken up so early in the morning even before his alarm blares, for two different reasons: One, Areum somehow decides that it’ll make her cuter if she screams and shouts nonsensically while shaking her crib. Two, the scent of Tangerine is so damn intense.

Rubbing the sleep out of one eye, Taeyong looks at his loud daughter and puts a finger against his lips to shush her. Surprisingly, she obeys and plops on her butt on the mattress, still staring at her parents.

Taeyong softly smiles at his cute daughter before looking at Jaehyun’s belly.

An Omega’s scent only intensifies on a few occasions: when they’re in heat, and when they’re carrying.

Caressing Jaehyun’s belly under his shirt, Taeyong’s head dips to press a kiss on it and make a trail north until his mouth presses on his mate’s.

The action stirs Jaehyun’s out of sleep and he blearily peers up at the Alpha. “Hm…?” It hasn’t dawned on him yet how his own scent suddenly smells so rich.

“Nothing. Go back to sleep.”

“You sure?”

“Mm,” Taeyong pecks Jaehyun’s lips some more and waits for his mate to fall back to sleep before wiggling down so he can pillow his head on the latter’s tummy. With a twinkle in his eyes, Taeyong whispers to little Areum.

“Someone’s going to be a big sister, baby. Guess who?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and please leave a comment u n u


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